The Pittsburgh Pirates have added right-handed pitcher Mike Burrows to their taxi squad for Friday’s game at Yankee Stadium. There has been no statement about what they intend for Burrows this weekend. However, the guess here is that he’s not being brought to New York to keep the buckets of sunflower seeds filled in the dugout. It’s more likely that he’ll be added to the active roster on Saturday or Sunday, at which point he’ll make his major league debut.
RHP Michael Burrows has been added to the Major League Taxi Squad for today’s game.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 27, 2024
Pirates Add Burrows to Taxi Squad, MLB Debut Likely This Weekend
Burrows, 24, was the Pirates’ No. 11 draft choice in the 2018 June Amateur Draft. He’s their No. 16 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. Burrows may not be a household name, but he’s a name Pirates fans have been hearing about for some time. There was a chance that he’d make his major league debut perhaps as early as 2022. But that opportunity was derailed when he injured his elbow. Then in 2023, he required Tommy John surgery after just two minor league starts.
Burrows finally returned to action in 2024, pitching in 16 games (15 starts) at three minor league levels. Across those levels, he was 1-3 with an unimpressive 5.26 ERA and 1.539 WHIP. When he’s right, he can consistently throw any of the four pitches from his arsenal for strikes. He features a riding fastball that averages 95 mph, a biting curveball, a slider, and a changeup. Apparently, he’s right now. In his last outing at Triple-A Indianapolis on September 22, he tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts in five innings.
The Pirates will surely use this opportunity to take a look at Burrows once he’s removed from the taxi squad. They’ve already announced their starting rotation for the weekend series against the Yankees. Thus, Burrows will make his debut in relief. The Yankees have clinched the American League East Division title and a first-round postseason bye. We’ll see whether Burrows is tested against the likes of Aaron Judge or Juan Soto.
Who’s Out
Once Burrows is added, a pitcher will have to be removed from the 28-man roster. It may be a simple move like dispatching recently recalled Isaac Mattson, who’s already appeared twice, to Triple-A. Their season is over, so this would be a paper move. Or they may allow veteran Jalen Beeks, acquired at the trade deadline and on an expiring contract, to start his winter vacation early. It would be similar to what they did recently with Rowdy Tellez and Michael A. Taylor, and thus not out of the question.
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