The Boston Red Sox are bolstering their pitching depth by signing veteran right-handed reliever Nick Burdi to a minor league contract. Although Burdi won’t be part of major league camp as a non-roster invitee, he will report to minor league camp with the goal of staying healthy and earning a chance to contribute in 2025. The 32-year-old has shown flashes of dominance when healthy but has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. In 2024, Burdi made the New York Yankees’ Opening Day roster and posted a strong 1.86 ERA over 9 2/3 innings in 12 appearances. However, his underlying metrics were less encouraging, with a 5.44 FIP and control issues, including nine walks and two hit batters, resulting in a 24.4% walk and hit-by-pitch rate. Despite these struggles, his fastball remains a standout, reaching 97.7 mph last season.
Burdi’s career has been marred by significant injuries, including two Tommy John surgeries (2017, 2020) and thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in 2019. An emergency appendectomy sidelined him for much of the 2023 season, and a hip injury limited him to just 9 2/3 MLB innings and 17 Triple-A innings in 2024. A former second-round pick out of Louisville, Burdi’s potential has always been evident, but his ability to stay on the mound has been his biggest hurdle. The Red Sox are taking a low-risk chance on him, hoping he can overcome his injury history and provide value to their bullpen.
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