UPDATE: Yankees to reinstate hard-throwing star off the injured list
Nick Burdi began his rehabilitation assignment over the weekend, originally planned to start in Somerset by the Yankees. However, due to bad weather, he was moved to Scranton. He performed exceptionally well, pitching a flawless inning with three strikeouts.
His fastball maintained a velocity of 97-98 MPH, and his slider was just as menacing as before his injury. Burdi contributed seven scoreless appearances for the Yankees before being sidelined with hip inflammation.
Aaron Boone hinted that Burdi might return to the active roster by Friday. Since he pitched yesterday, he likely needs time to recover, making him unavailable for the current series. However, his potential return this weekend against Tampa could significantly bolster the Yankees’ bullpen.
Nick Burdi May Join the Yankees This Upcoming Weekend
Nick Burdi’s standout feature lies in his dominant fastball, consistently reaching high 90s and occasionally breaching triple digits. Complementing this is his sharp slider, which meshes seamlessly with his unique arm slot. The Yankees were impressed by his performance and data during Spring Training, leading them to add him to their 40-man roster before Opening Day.
In his brief stint with the Yankees, spanning 6.1 innings, Burdi boasts a flawless 0.00 ERA, striking out eight batters while issuing five walks—a discrepancy that warrants improvement but is mitigated by the small sample size. His top-tier pitches make it exceedingly challenging for hitters to make solid contact against him, evidenced by their paltry 81.1 MPH average exit velocity and failure to barrel up a single baseball.
Much like Luis Gil, Burdi’s exceptional repertoire often leads to walks without yielding runs, as hitters struggle to make meaningful contact against him.
However, his command issues raise concerns when he inherits baserunners. Nonetheless, his overpowering arsenal presents a significant asset for the Yankees, who already boast the best bullpen ERA in baseball (2.22). Adding him to the roster, likely displacing Michael Tonkin, would further fortify their bullpen.