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Kevin Gorman: Pirates pitcher Nick Burdi's injury was just crushing to watch | TribLIVE.com
Kevin Gorman, Columnist

Kevin Gorman: Pirates pitcher Nick Burdi's injury was just crushing to watch

Kevin Gorman
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Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Pirates reliever Nick Burdi grabs his arm after throwing a pitch during the eighth inning against the Diamondbacks Monday, April 22, 2019, at PNC Park.
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Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Pirates reliever Nick Burdi grabs his arm after throwing a pitch during the eighth inning against the Diamondbacks Monday, April 22, 2019, at PNC Park.
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Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Pirates first baseman Josh Bell comforts reliever Nick Burdi on the mound after Burdi was injured during the eighth inning against the Diamondbacks Monday, April 22, 2019, at PNC Park.
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Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Pirates reliever Nick Burdi is helped from the field after being injured during the eighth inning against the Diamondbacks Monday, April 22, 2019, at PNC Park.

Nick Burdi threw the pitch, doubled over in pain and dropped to a knee. When the Pittsburgh Pirates reliever clutched his right biceps in anguish, you knew it was awful.

It was absolutely crushing to watch, especially when first baseman Josh Bell placed his hand on Burdi’s shoulder as the pitcher was sobbing on the mound.

Even worse is knowing the 26-year-old Burdi was back after having Tommy John surgery in May 2017, with 13 strikeouts in his first 10 innings before the 12-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night at PNC Park. Burdi had allowed four hits and five runs in Arizona’s seven-run seventh, including a two-run homer to Christian Walker.

AT&T SportsNet cameras panned to Chad Kuhl, who is out with Tommy John surgery, standing against a dugout railing, and he had both hands on his head.

The Pirates said Burdi was being evaluated for right elbow/biceps pain.

“It just takes the breath right out of you,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “It’s sports. You love to compete. You love to watch young men play. That’s the hard part of it. When something like that happens, man, it gives you something to contemplate. Man, a fine line between competing one pitch, and then the next pitch you’re down. I haven’t experienced that before, with a guy on the mound or in a game or that type of reaction that came after a pitch.”

Here’s hoping Burdi’s injury isn’t as serious as it appeared — and we never have to see something like that again.

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Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com.

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Categories: Kevin Gorman Columns | Pirates/MLB | Sports
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