Prior to the MLB trade deadline, the Phillies sent minor league pitcher Tyler Burch to Baltimore for infielder Freddy Galvis. Within just a few days of the swap, Burch was facing the Class A Jersey Shore roster that was made up of his former teammates.
An undrafted free agent signing out of Lewis-Clark State in Idaho in 2019, Burch had begun to excel this year in his young professional career. In 23 relief outings combined between Class A Clearwater and Class A Advanced Jersey Shore, the 23-year-old right-hander notched a 4-3 record with seven saves, a 3.98 ERA and a 15.0 K/9 mark.
Following the trade, Burch was assigned to the Orioles High A affiliate the Aberdeen IronBirds. In his debut there, facing the BlueClaws, Burch surrendered an earned run on two hits in one inning of work.
This week I talked with Tyler about the transition to the new club, facing his BlueClaws teammates and more. Read ahead for those quotes.
-Did you know any guys on the IronBirds team before joining them?
No, I didn't know anyone on the team. They've been great bringing me in and it's a fun atmosphere to be around.
-What was your initial reaction to the trade news? Is it exciting because that means someone really wants you?
At first, I was shocked. Finding out you've been traded one for one for a big leaguer is definitely exciting. It was bittersweet. It was a good feeling knowing another team was interested in me, but it was also sad leaving all of my teammates and staff members behind with the Phillies. They've been nothing but great to me and I couldn't thank them enough for the opportunity.
-Thoughts on facing the BlueClaws so soon after the trade? Were there any extra nerves or anything to prove? Any worries because those guys knew your stuff?
It was tough at first seeing all of my old teammates three days after being traded. I wasn't nervous for the most part, it was more trying to stay composed and to clear my mind while pitching against them. With the hitters, I knew for the most part what their strengths and weaknesses were but they also knew how I liked to pitch, so it was an interesting inning to say the least. As the week has gone on it's gotten easier accepting where I'm at and I wish everyone with the Phillies the best.
You can also check out a recent edition of the Locked On Orioles podcast, where I joined the program to give some inside information on Tyler and profile the talented hurler with host Connor Newcomb.
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