The Boston Red Sox have added another veteran arm to their pitching depth, signing right-handed reliever to a minor league deal. While he won’t be part of major league camp as a non-roster invitee, he will report to minor league camp with hopes of proving his durability and earning a role in 2025.
He, has struggled with injuries throughout his career but has shown electric potential when healthy. He spent the 2024 season with the New York Yankees, making their Opening Day roster and posting a strong 1.86 ERA over 9 2/3 innings in 12 appearances.
However, his underlying metrics raised concerns, as he recorded a 5.44 FIP and struggled with control, issuing nine walks and hitting two batters. His 24.4% walk and hit-by-pitch rate overshadowed his solid run prevention.
Despite these command issues, Burdi’s fastball remains a legitimate weapon, topping out at 97.7 mph last season. Staying healthy, however, has been his biggest obstacle.
A former second-round pick out of Louisville, he has undergone two Tommy John surgeries (2017, 2020) and thoracic outlet syndrome surgery (2019). His 2023 season was derailed by an emergency appendectomy, and a hip injury limited him to just 9 2/3 MLB innings and 17 Triple-A innings in 2024.
Now with Boston, Burdi will look to regain consistency and carve out a role in the Red Sox bullpen if he can remain on the mound.
Nick Burdi looks to get a fresh start with the Red Sox
Across five partial big league seasons with the Pirates, Cubs, and Yankees, Nick Burdi has pitched 25 total innings, posting a 6.48 ERA. Despite that high ERA, he has demonstrated impressive strikeout ability with a 32.5% strikeout rate, though his 16.4% walk rate has been a persistent concern. The Red Sox see potential in his power arm, especially if he can refine his command.
Burdi is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Worcester, where he will have the chance to prove himself as a reliable depth piece for the major league bullpen. His addition follows the Red Sox’s moves to bring in veteran relievers Adam Ottavino and Matt Moore as non-roster invitees this spring, further strengthening their pitching depth.
If Burdi can stay healthy and improve his control, he could become an intriguing bullpen option for Boston later in the season. However, given his past struggles with command, he will need to show significant progress before earning a spot on the major league roster. His signing represents a low-risk, high-upside move for the Red Sox as they continue to reinforce their pitching staff for 2025.
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