The Yankees still haven’t given up on getting rid of A.J. Burnett.
According to a source, the Yankees continue to have “conversations with several clubs” about trading the right-hander.
Though the Pirates have been among the teams to show the most interest, they reportedly shot down the Yankees’ request for outfielder Garrett Jones to be included in a deal, according to an ESPN.com report.
Discussions between the clubs began at the Winter Meetings in December, with the Pirates and Royals among the teams most actively looking into acquiring Burnett.
As the Post’s George King reported at the time, the Yankees were willing to pick up $8 million of the $33 million he’s owed over the next two years. Now, the Yankees would have to go well north of that figure to get a deal done, likely more than $20 million.
But because the Yankees added Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda to the rotation this offseason, general manager Brian Cashman has said he would like to explore the trade market to shed a starting pitcher and add a bat.
The Yankees don’t want to spend too much to send Burnett packing, because they could use the savings to go after offensive help. Free agents such as Eric Chavez, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Raul Ibanez still are available.
Burnett, for all of his difficulties , still figures to have the most value of any of the pitchers the Yankees would be willing to deal, because Phil Hughes is coming off a disappointing 2011.
If nothing else, Burnett can be relied upon to eat up innings, and though the Yankees were looking for much more than that when they signed him, it may be enough for other teams in desperate need of pitchers.
Over the past two seasons, Burnett has pitched to over a 5.00 ERA, but he has thrown more than 186 innings each year.
The question is just how much of Burnett’s salary are the Yankees willing to swallow . With teams like the Pirates and Royals inquiring, the Yankees likely will have to be generous.
Nevertheless, that could be a sacrifice they are willing to make, because there isn’t room in the rotation for the 35-year-old right now, with CC Sabathia, Pineda, Kuroda, Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia seemingly in front of him for rotation spots.
Burnett has failed to win more than 13 games in a season for the Yankees after signing a five-year, $82.5 million contract after going 18-10 in a career-year for Toronto in 2008.