Right-hander Nick Burdi has elected to become a free agent, according to MLB.com’s trade tracking. The reliever was removed from the 40-man roster after suffering a hip injury while on the 60-day IL in July. The Red Sox sent him directly to Triple-A Worcester in mid-August, and he was not reinstated to the 40-man roster until the end of the season. Since Burdy has more than three years of major league service time, he was able to opt into minor league free agency.
Burdy appeared in four games with the Red Sox in 2025. He went 5 1/3 scoreless innings from late May into early June but was sidelined with a foot injury. Burdy later discovered hip issues while on rehab duty and was moved to the 60-day IL. Masataka Yoshida made the 40-man roster after returning from a shoulder injury.
Burdy played for four teams in six seasons in the major leagues. He made his debut in 2018 with Pittsburgh. Burdy made 16 appearances in three seasons with the Buccaneers. He was designated for assignment after the 2020 season and agreed to a minor league contract with San Diego. Burdy spent 2021 and 2022 in the Padres’ minor league system. After transferring via waivers in the offseason, he returned to the MLB with the Cubs in 2023, although he only made three appearances in Chicago. Burdy joins the Yankees on a minor league deal in 2024. His tenure in New York was his most successful as a major leaguer, with a 1.86 ERA in 12 games. Hip inflammation ultimately ended his season prematurely.
Injuries have been the story of Burdy’s career. In addition to the aforementioned hip and foot injuries, he also underwent two Tommy John surgeries (2017, 2020) and thoracic outlet surgery (2019). Burdy also missed most of the 2023 season with appendicitis.
Burdy will be 33 next season. He’s been able to convert minor league deals into major league jobs each of the past three seasons, so he has a chance to make an MLB roster in 2026.
