HOUSTON — The Pirates announced on Tuesday that reliever Nick Burdi, who had been on the injured list since April 23 with right bicep/elbow pain, underwent season-ending surgery.
The procedure was performed by Dr. Robert Thompson, a vascular surgeon at Washington University, and it was aimed at relieving symptoms of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome.
Burdi is expected to resume full baseball activities by spring training 2020.
Burdi appeared in 11 games this season, going 2-1 with a 9.35 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 8⅔ innings.
The ERA is unsightly, but five of the nine earned runs Burdi allowed came in one game — his last, when he recorded just one out on April 22 against Arizona and gave up five earned runs.
Losing Burdi removes any possibility that he could come back and help the beleaguered bullpen this season, although it's not surprising given he has been having semi-regular symptoms.
The night Burdi was injured was nothing short of heartbreaking, ending with the pitcher crying on the mound.
The former second-round pick had endured a couple of serious injuries to his throwing arm, including Tommy John surgery, before putting it all together in September.
A strong spring helped Burdi earn a spot with the Pirates out of spring training before another arm injury derailed his season
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: June 26, 2019, 1:49 a.m.
