Pirates' Nick Burdi bounces back from another surgery in search of a feel-good story for his right arm

Nick Burdi came back from Tommy John surgery to become a feel-good story for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season: the reliever who threw gas and wore black-rimmed glasses like Ricky Vaughn from the movie, “Major League.”

After Burdi blew out his right arm again last April, discovering neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome that required surgery, he spent his recovery looking for new ways to feel good while pitching.

“I think it kind of started back when I had my first elbow surgery,” Burdi said. “Everyone reaches out for that first day. You get a lot of text messages. Everyone feels bad. But then after that, it kind of stops. All of a sudden, it’s you, your wife, your dog and that’s it. Nobody else is really in that corner with you every day. So, that was kind of the mindset I took to it, was, ‘I’m going to attack this every day.’ ”

Burdi did just that, using quarantine during baseball’s shutdown to make major changes.

One was in reaction to the national emergency for blood donations during the covid-19 pandemic. Spurred by his wife, Rebecca, a former emergency room nurse, Burdi started the #MLBbloodDonationChallenge and prompted other big leaguers to join him.

“I think it was a really cool project that I was able to be a part of and have some guys on the team doing,” Burdi said. “But I think a lot of guys took the quarantine as a time to help out in this pandemic and try and do whatever they could in their communities to get people through these tough times. I was happy to have my little thing and my little niche to put my name on.”

Burdi also wanted to put his signature on his pitches.

He set up his Rapsodo machine to look at his numbers from throwing bullpens and live batting practice and work on his grips. He worked out at Hop’s Athletic Performance in Coventry, R.I., where pitching coach John DeRouin broke down Burdi’s throwing motion and helped him figure out the stressors on his neck and elbow, then set about making mechanical changes for better arm support.

“I wouldn’t say that I’m just a totally different pitcher,” Burdi said, “but, at the same time, I think there has been some mechanical changes that are definitely noticeable now.”

The Pirates certainly have noticed, as right-hander Jameson Taillon is among those impressed by Burdi’s stuff in spring training and training camp at PNC Park. Burdi allowed three hits and one walk, striking out eight and giving up one run in 4⅔ innings this spring.

“He looks amazing,” Taillon said. “No matter how many injuries this dude’s had, he still throws 100 mph, his slider’s still disgusting.”

Taillon is even more amazed by how Burdi has bounced back from injuries. Burdi was pitching well for the Pirates before the April 22 game against Arizona, when he allowed five runs (all earned) on four hits before collapsing on the mound and rolling around in pain.

“When you get hurt, you have two choices: You can either feel sorry for yourself and do the minimal work required to get back on the field, or you can take it the other way and say, ‘I’m getting hurt for a reason. There is something I need to clean up, there’s something I need to attack, there’s something I can get better at,’ ” Taillon said.

“Burdi takes that (latter) route every time. It’s pretty inspiring to watch him work. He finds a way to get better. It sounds kind of cliche, but through every injury and obstacle he’s had, he just attacks something new, doesn’t complain and focuses on getting better. He’s in a really good spot.”

Now, Burdi wants to be in a good spot in the Pirates’ bullpen, as one-inning high-leverage reliever. Whether it’s in the sixth, seventh or eighth inning, he wants to be a pitcher who can come in and get outs.

The key to that, Burdi knows, is to stay healthy.

“I heard about how good the stuff was, how electric the arm is,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said, noting that pitching coach Oscar Marin and bullpen coach Justin Meccage have talked to Burdi about staying under control. “Just watching his live BP the other day, watching him stay under control, those are the things that are going to get big league hitters out.”