The Philadelphia Phillies have signed free agent pitcher A.J. Burnett to a one-year deal, reports Hayden Balgavy of THV 11 in Arkansas. Burnett’s deal is worth $16 million.
Burnett’s future was undetermined for most of the 2014 offseason, and he took longer than expected to decide whether he would retire or pitch again in 2014. Early on, he stated that if he pitched again, it would be in a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform. However, he may have switched gears after the Pirates neglected to extend a $14.1 million qualifying offer.
After acquiring him from the Yankees for a pair of non-prospects, Burnett revitalized his career in Pittsburgh. He produced 7.0 fWAR in his two seasons, with a 3.41 ERA and 56.7 percent groundball rate.
The Phillies have leaned on older players this offseason, as they signed Marlon Byrd and Carlos Ruiz to multi-year deals. However, Burnett has maintained a steady fastball velocity over the last three seasons, and the swinging strike rate he posted in 2013 was his best mark since 2007.
It’s definitely a surprise move for the Phillies, who will add Burnett to a rotation that features top line pitchers in Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels. Kyle Kendrick and the newly acquired Roberto Hernandez will likely occupy the final two slots in the rotation, with Cuban signee Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez also vying for a spot.
In a division that features the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves, the Phillies are definitely a long shot to make the playoffs. Still, signing Burnett is a coup for a front office that has rightly been criticized in recent offseasons. For the Pirates, the loss of Burnett will make contending in an already tough NL Central that much more difficult.
