The Boston Red Sox have added a former New York Yankees pitcher to their ranks.
Veteran reliever Nick Burdi confirmed on Instagram that he has joined the Red Sox. The 32-year-old Burdi went 1-0 with a 1.86 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 9.2 innings for the Yankees.
According to MassLive's Chris Cotillo, Burdi is in minor league camp. His contract does not include an invitation to spring training.
It is unclear if Burdi's contract contains an opt-out.
A second-round pick in 2014, Burdi owns a 6.48 ERA in 31 career games. He debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018 and also pitched for the Chicago Cubs.
Burdi's most significant issue is control; he's walked 19 in 25 career innings.
At best, Burdi is an experienced depth arm who flashed at times with the Yankees. He'll almost certainly begin the season at Triple-A, likely as a setup or middle reliever.
Burdi hasn't been a closer since his final year at Louisville in 2014.
Unfortunately for Burdi, he's spent a significant amount of his professional career on the injured list. He had Tommy John surgery in May 2017 and October 2020, with thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in 2019.
While with the Cubs, Burdi missed most of 2023 after an emergency appendectomy. Burdi didn't pitch after May 23 because of a hip injury.
