Nick Burdi Had an Appendectomy, So the Cubs Have Called Up Javier Assad

This came out of nowhere, as appendicitis usually does. I just hope everything will be OK in the long-run here for Nick Burdi.

The 30-year-old reliever, who’d fought his way back to the big leagues after years of arm injuries, and was just now getting a look from the Cubs … is out with the flukiest of health issues:

Burdi had just gotten his first back-to-back look this past weekend, and was opening some eyes with his 100 mph fastball. This sucks. No way around it.

In Burdi’s place, Javier Assad will come up to reinforce the bullpen – he was supposed to start for Iowa today, so he’ll be hustling to Chicago. I presume he’ll stay in long relief duty, but I do wonder how he’d do in short bursts (he might not be prepared for it, physically, though).

This is the third straight season where an appendectomy/appendicitis has impacted a Cubs player. Trevor Williams had an appendectomy back in late May 2021, and he missed a little over a month. Clint Frazier had one in late April 2022, and he also missed a little over a month.

Every case is unique, and again, you just want a fully healthy recovery for Burdi. But you can expect he’ll be out for at least a month, even if all goes well.