Don’t hold the celebration yet, Yankees fans, but it appears as though much-maligned right-hander A.J. Burnett could be out the door soon.
According to multiple sources, the Yankees and Pirates are nearing a deal that would send Burnett to Pittsburgh in exchange for a prospect or even a player to fill their vacant designated hitter position.
The Pirates reportedly do not want to include outfielder Garrett Jones, a lefty slugger, in any possible trade.
Of course, more than a player, the issue is coming down to money.
The Yankees owe Burnett $33 million over the last two years of his contract, an exorbitant sum that the Pirates couldn’t afford.
New York is reportedly looking to pick up about $10 million, while the Pirates would prefer closer to a 50-50 split.
The writing was on the wall for Burnett’s ouster once the Yankees traded for young flamethrower Michael Pineda from the Mariners and signed veteran Hiroki Kuroda. Those two starters, in addition to CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova meant Freddy Garcia and Phil Hughes would be looking at the No. 5 spot, not to mention top prospects Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances.
Burnett was just 11-11, with a 5.15 ERA last season.
Follow Metro New York Sports Editor Mark Osborne on Twitter @MetroNYSports. He is very witty. Though, to be fair, he is also writing this sentence right now.
