By Chris Landers | 20 minutes ago
The New York Yankees entered the offseason determined to reinforce a bullpen that had faltered down the stretch last year. General Manager Brian Cashman believed he had found the solution in veteran right-hander Nick Burdi, handing him a surprising three-year deal worth $42 million — a significant investment for a reliever with a history of injuries but electric stuff when healthy.
So far, that decision has aged poorly.
Burdi’s 2025 campaign has been a rollercoaster, and not in a good way. His ERA has ballooned to 5.71, a number dragged down by a brutal outing in which he gave up six runs to the Blue Jays earlier this month. Since then, manager Aaron Boone has been reluctant to use him in pressure situations, and for good reason. While Burdi has shown flashes of dominance, his control has wavered, his strikeout rate has dipped, and his fastball velocity has not been nearly as overpowering as the Yankees hoped when they made him one of the highest-paid relievers in team history.
The deal looks even worse when you consider the alternatives. That $42 million could have gone toward shoring up other areas — including a bench that’s lacked depth and a rotation that’s already dealt with multiple injuries. Even with a large payroll, every major contract comes with expectations, and Burdi hasn’t met them.
To their credit, the Yankees have managed to hold things together in the late innings with contributions from Ron Marinaccio, Ian Hamilton, and newcomer Scott Effross. But no matter how well the rest of the bullpen performs, Burdi’s struggles are a glaring blemish on an otherwise well-constructed roster.
Unless Burdi turns things around soon, this could go down as one of the biggest bullpen blunders of Brian Cashman’s tenure — and a costly reminder that big contracts don’t guarantee big results.
