A.J. Burnett, who pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates the last two seasons, has agreed to a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, according to multiple reports.
Burnett’s one-year deal with the Phillies is worth $16 million, according to Hayden Balgavy of THV 11 in Arkansas. The pact ends months of speculation about whether Burnett would retire, and whether he’d consider pitching for a team other than the Pirates if he decided to return in 2014.
Burnett said last season that retiring and pitching for the Pirates were his only two considerations, but things obviously changed. Recent reports indicated that Burnett planned on pitching this season and would test the open market rather than immediately re-sign with the Pirates.
Pittsburgh did not offer Burnett a $14.1 million qualifying offer at the beginning of free agency, so the Bucs will not receive draft pick compensation despite the right-hander signing elsewhere.
Burnett, who turned 37 last month, went 10-11 with a 3.30 ERA in 30 starts last season. The 15-year veteran went 16-10 with a 3.51 ERA in 31 starts with the Pirates in 2012 after stumbling through the three previous seasons with the New York Yankees.
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