Last offseason A.J. Burnett left the Pirates for the Phillies, but after a rough season in Philadelphia he’s going back to Pittsburgh.
Burnett has signed a one-year deal with the Pirates worth $8.5 million, which is significantly less than the $12.75 million player option he declined to leave the Phillies.
Burnett had a fantastic two-season run for the Pirates in 2012/2013, starting 61 games with a 3.41 ERA and 389 strikeouts in 393 innings, but he went 8-18 with a 4.59 ERA in 34 starts for the Phillies.
At age 38 he’s certainly no sure thing to bounce back, but for $8.5 million and a one-year commitment a reunion with Burnett makes a lot of sense for a Pirates rotation that may lose free agents Francisco Liriano and Edinson Volquez.
