After spending 23 days on the injured list due to shoulder bursitis, the Boston Red Sox have activated Walker Buehler for his start against the Mets on May 20.
So far this season, Buehler has recorded a 4.28 ERA, with 19 strikeouts and nine walks across 33.2 innings. His ERA has been decreasing gradually since his second start, during which he allowed five runs to the Cardinals over five innings. In April, he maintained a 3.68 ERA over five starts before being placed on the IL on April 29.
To make room for Buehler, reliever Nick Burdi will be removed from the roster. Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that the 32-year-old has cleared out his locker in anticipation of Buehler’s activation, though the team has yet to make the move official.
Burdi, who signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox before the 2024 season, impressed during his time in Worcester, posting a 0.54 ERA with 25 strikeouts and five walks over 16.2 innings. Boston called up Burdi on May 16, and he had two scoreless appearances against the Braves while they visited.
Red Sox reinstate Walker Buehler to start on May 20 against Mets, DFA hot reliever Nick Burdi
Walker Buehler is pitching to a 1.96 ERA over his last three starts š®āšØ pic.twitter.com/6UBNapvABz
— MLB (@MLB) April 21, 2025
Burdi has played in parts of six major league seasons throughout his career. In 2024, he achieved a 1.86 ERA in 9.2 innings with the Yankees but was soon placed on the 60-day injured list due to hip inflammation. After his return, he recorded a 2.65 ERA over 17 innings with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
While the Red Sox would have liked to keep Burdiās perfect 0.00 ERA in their bullpen a bit longer, they faced challenges making roster moves for Buehler’s activation. Both Garrett Whitlock and Greg Weissert have minor league options available but have been crucial to Boston’s bullpen early in the season. Hunter Dobbins has already been optioned this year; however, heās proven to be the most effective depth starter for the Sox, posting a 3.62 ERA over 32.1 innings in six starts.
Overall, Burdi’s time with the Red Sox organization was successful, and he might find another team to join after his performance. Boston will rely on Buehler to stabilize the rotation as a veteran presence, and they hope he can deliver against the Mets, a team he previously held scoreless in the NLCS.
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