Red Sox Roster Moves: Boston Shuffles Pitching Staff Before Braves Series

Nick Burdi is about to get his first shot with the Red Sox.

Boston made a couple of moves Friday before its three-game weekend series with the Braves, highlighted by promoting Burdi, a right-handed pitcher, to the major league club. The Sox optioned pitcher Cooper Criswell to Triple-A to make room on the big league roster, and freed up a 40-man spot by putting Kutter Crawford on the 60-day injured list.

The Red Sox signed Burdi to a minor league contract in February. The 32-year-old is a former prospect whom Pittsburgh drafted in the second round of the 2014 draft. He made his big league debut in 2018, pitching sparingly in the bigs since.

Burdi has not pitched more than 9 2/3 innings in a single big league season. That came last year with the New York Yankees, and it was easily the best run of his career. Burdi appeared in 12 games, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out 12.

Command has been a major issue, though. He walked nine batters in that limited time, and he has 19 walks in 25 career innings. It seems like he has turned a corner, though. Burdi issued just five walks in 16 2/3 innings with Worcester in 13 appearances.