In some ways, Nick Burdi’s first look with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday evening meant extra to the reliever than his big-league debut.
“This one was definitely earned,” a smiling Burdi stated earlier than the Cubs’ collection finale Wednesday evening towards the Houston Astros.
When Burdi reached the majors in 2018 with the Pittsburgh Pirates — showing in two video games as a September call-up — the Downers Grove South alumnus knew the promotion was coming, although the timing was a bit of unsure.
Burdi, a second-round choose by the Minnesota Twins in 2014 out of Louisville, had been picked within the Rule 5 draft by the Philadelphia Phillies in December 2017 and traded to the Pirates. He missed most of 2018 recovering from his first Tommy John surgical procedure however returned earlier than the season ended.
“This one to me was a lot more personal,” Burdi stated of Tuesday’s outing, “and it felt like this one was my real debut, if that makes sense.”
He pitched the seventh inning of a 7-3 loss to the Astros, marking his first big-league look since Aug. 3, 2020. He allowed two hits and two runs, walked one and struck out one.
Since his final big-league outing, Burdi, 30, missed the 2021 season after his second Tommy John surgical procedure after which was sidelined in 2022 when he wanted to have built-up scar tissue surgically eliminated.
The Cubs chosen Burdi within the second spherical of the minor-league part of the Rule 5 draft in December. His efficiency at Triple-A Iowa earned him a promotion when the bullpen wanted reinforcement due to heavy utilization and a proper forearm pressure for Brad Boxberger, who will return to Chicago for additional analysis.
“A lot of it was just getting ahead, really working the four-seam (fastball) and slider and just kind of attacking guys,” Burdi stated. “Just getting sharper in the zone is going to be a big difference here. But just continue to attack guys and do what I did in Iowa, and that’s playing to my strength.”
Burdi is amongst a handful of relievers who might have an effect on the Cubs bullpen over the course of the season. Right-handers Cam Sanders, Tyler Duffey, Riley Thompson, Manny Rodríguez and Vinny Nittoli and left-hander Bailey Horn are a part of the aid depth in Iowa.
“You have another big-league bullpen sitting down there,” Burdi stated. “I was fortunate enough to get the call, but those guys are coming.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com