Burnside made his MLB debut during the 1978 season, appearing in only two games and giving up four earned runs over four innings of work, with both of those games out of the bullpen and not figuring in a decision.
He’d be back on a Major League mound in 1979, appearing in 10 games for Detroit, going 1-1 over 21.1 innings pitched, with a 6.33 ERA, again with all his appearances out of the ‘pen.
In 1980, he’d find himself a member of the Cincinnati Reds after a trade for Champ Summers, and would end up playing the last of his Big League games with seven appearances, going 1-0 with a very nice 1.93 ERA over 4.2 innings, closing out his career with a 2-1 record, posting a final 6.00 ERA over 19 appearances and 30 innings.