The Cincinnati Reds made three roster moves on a busy day, placing All-Star pitcher Chase Burns on the 15-day injured list with a right groin strain, recalling Carson Spiers from Triple-A Louisville, and designating outfielder TJ Friedl for assignment.
Burns’ season is over before he can return from the IL. In his first full year, the 2024 first-round pick earned an All-Star nod, went 15-3, logged 154.1 innings, and finished with a 2.86 ERA. He made 29 starts.
Spiers is back on the major league staff after spending time with the Reds in parts of the 2023, 2024, and 2025 seasons. His biggest workload came in 2024, when he threw 90.2 innings. Across his big league career, he has a 5.69 ERA with 14 starts and 15 relief appearances.
His road back has not been simple. Spiers missed the second half of 2025 and most of 2026 after Tommy John surgery in July of 2025.
He returned with a rehab start in Dayton on August 23rd, then gave up six runs in 4.1 innings in his first Triple-A outing. Since then, he has made three starts and allowed two total runs in 16.0 innings, while walking three and striking out 21.
To make room for Spiers on the 40-man roster, the Reds DFA’d Friedl after he was optioned to Triple-A on Saturday, retroactive to Friday night. Friedl was in the midst of the worst season of his big league career, hitting .172/.255/.255 in 91 games for Cincinnati in 2026.
The move likely closes the book on his time with the Reds, though he can still be claimed by another team on waivers. If he clears, Cincinnati could outright him to the minors.
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