When healthy, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Ryan Borucki has proven to be very effective. Perhaps he can help fix what ails the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen.
The 31-year-old left-hander is in his eighth MLB season, mostly as a reliever, and a look at his year-by-year stats gives you an easy indication as to which seasons included lengthy stints on the injured list.
Borucki made his MLB debut in late June of 2018, and during that season, he started 17 games for Toronto, posting a 3.87 ERA over 97.2 innings. The next year, Borucki opened the season on the injured list with elbow inflammation, then started just two games in July, giving up 10 runs on 15 hits and six walks in 6.2 innings, before he was shut down for the season, eventually having surgery to remove bone spurs in the elbow.
Borucki was ready to go for the 2020 season, but baseball wasn’t, with the Covid pandemic forcing the cancellation of all minor league games and delaying the start of a shortened, 60-game MLB season until July 23. Circumstances led the Blue Jays to put Borucki in the bullpen, and it worked for him, as Borucki pitched 16.2 innings over 21 games, posting a 2.70 ERA as he allowed just five runs on 12 hits with 21 strikeouts.
“It’s been really fun going out there. It’s just best man wins,” Borucki said of the different mindset as reliever. “Definitely, when your name gets called, you get that rush coming through you, like, ‘OK, it’s time to get ready to go to battle.’ It’s a feeling I’m not used to. It’s a lot different for me. But so far, so good.”
Pirates Lefty Ryan Borucki Has Proven to be Effective When Healthy
Borucki dealt with multiple IL trips and heightened ERAs in both 2021 (4.94) and 2022, when he pitched 11 games for Toronto (9.95) before getting traded to Seattle (4.26). The Mundelein, IL, native would sign a minor-league contract with the Chicago Cubs prior to the 2023 season, but he never pitched for the Cubs, instead triggering an opt-out that made him a free agent in early May, and two days later, Borucki signed a minor-league deal with the Pirates. After he was brought up to the Pirates on June 18, Borucki had perhaps his best season as a pro, pitching 40.1 innings over 38 games, with a 2.45 ERA and 0.74 WHIP, striking out 33.
But Borucki’s 2024 season with the Pirates would be disrupted by a lengthy stint on the IL due to left triceps inflammation. He pitched just 3.1 innings in the opening week of the season, then saw 7.2 innings of work in September, finishing with a 7.36 ERA.
“Last year was definitely frustrating because I came off a great year,” Borucki said. “It was the first time in a couple years where I felt like I was healthy, had a sound delivery and I was able to show what I’m able to do — because I’ve had a lot of injuries that have stopped me. I was rattled that it took longer than we thought it would.”
Signed to another minor-league contract with Pittsburgh in early 2025, Borucki arrived at spring training as a non-roster invitee knowing that he was a long shot to make the Pirates roster. So he just accepted his situation, while still having confidence in his abilities, and Borucki said that calm and comfortable approach allowed him to excel with a 0.93 spring ERA and 14 strikeouts in 9.2 innings.
“I didn’t really put that pressure on myself to do anything more than I needed to do,” Borucki said. “I think that is what made it easy. It was like I had nothing to lose, only stuff to gain. I just went out there and did my thing without any thoughts. That’s the toughest part, battling your own demons: ‘Am I going to make the team?’ You play GM with yourself. I didn’t really care.”
Ryan Borucki Takes Calm, Confident Approach into Successful Start for 2025
The success has continued into the regular season for the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder, who has been one of Pittsburgh’s most reliable relievers. In 19.2 innings, Borucki has a 3.20 ERA and 1.02 WHIP, holding batters to a .197 average.
“For me, high-leverage or low-leverage, whatever they need,” Borucki said. “If they need me to come in the fourth or fifth inning or if they need me to come in the seventh or eighth, I’ll do it. I’ve never been a guy where I need to be only doing leverage. My whole career, I’ve checked my ego at the door. I don’t really care. When my name gets called, it’s going to happen.”
Borucki’s bounceback season has raised a few eyebrows around the league, leading Garrett Kerman of ClutchPoints to suggest that the Philadelphia Phillies could be interested in acquiring his services.
With the suspension of left-handed reliever Jose Alvarado for 80 games, as well as the playoffs, due to a violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, Borucki would be a welcome addition to the Phillies bullpen. Kerman proposed a deal sending Borucki to Philadelphia for 23-year-old Double-A pitcher George Klassen. A sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft, quickly rose through the Phillies system in 2024, and in seven starts this season for the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Klassen is 1-3 with a 4.97 ERA, striking out 36 batters against seven walks in 29 innings.
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Phillies Acquire Bounceback Veteran Reliever in Trade Proposal for Pitching Prospect