Right-hander Nick Burdi has opted for free agency, according to him transaction tracker on MLB.com. The reliever was removed from the 40-man roster in July when he hit the 60-day IL with a hip injury. The Red Sox sent him straight to Triple-A Worcester in mid-August, and he wasn’t added back to the 40-man roster before the end of the season. Because Burdi has more than three years of Major League service time, he could opt for minor league free agency.
Burdi appeared in four games for the Red Sox in 2025. He threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings from late May to early June, but went down with a foot injury. Burdi subsequently picked up the hip issue during his rehabilitation assignment and was transferred to the 60-day IL. Masataka Yoshida took his spot on the 40-man roster when he returned from a shoulder injury.
Burdi pitched for four teams in parts of six big league seasons. He made his debut with Pittsburgh in 2018. Burdi made sixteen appearances in three seasons with the Pirates. He was designated for assignment after the 2020 season and landed with San Diego on a minor league deal. Burdi spent 2021 and 2022 in the Padres’ minor league system. He made his MLB return in 2023 with the Cubs after coming over on a waiver claim in the offseason, though he made just three appearances in Chicago. Burdi left for the Yankees in 2024 on a minor league pact. His tenure in New York was his most successful as a big league player, as he posted a 1.86 ERA over twelve games. Hip inflammation ultimately ended his season prematurely.
Injuries are the story of Burdi’s career. In addition to the aforementioned hip and foot injuries, he has undergone Tommy John surgery twice (2017, 2020) and thoracic outlet surgery (2019). Burdi also missed much of the 2023 season due to appendicitis.
Burdi will turn 33 next season. He’s been able to parlay minor league deals into major league work in each of the last three seasons, so there’s a chance he could find his way onto an MLB roster in 2026.
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