A.J. Burnett had an ugly end to his time with Yankees. Despite two solid seasons and professions of maturation with the Pirates, his departure from Pittsburgh was not much better.
Burnett reacted poorly to the Pirates’ decision not to start him in Game 5 of the NLDS against the Cardinals, even threatening not to accompany the team to St. Louis for the decisive game, according to a report by the Beaver County Times. And that snub was part of the reason he decided not to re-sign with the Pirates this winter.
Burnett reportedly was insulted by the $8.5 million offer the Pirates made during last season and turned down an $11 million offer. The 37-year-old signed a one-year, $16 million deal with the Phillies on Wednesday. So, yes, money could have been a factor, as well.
Burnett anchored a young Pirates rotation last season, going 10-11 with a 3.30 in helping the team reach its first postseason in 21 years. But the right-hander was destroyed by the Cardinals in Game 1 of the NLDS, giving up seven runs while walking four in two innings. Gerrit Cole fired six innings of one-run ball for the Pirates in Game 2 to even the series, and was given the nod in Game 5 off that performance.
A source told the paper Burnett was enraged and threw a hissy fit in the clubhouse following the Game 4 loss, making for an uncomfortable scene. Cole pitched decently in the final game, but the Cardinals scored three runs in the eighth to pull away for a 6-1 win.
Burnett reportedly used the perceived slight as motivation to put off retirement for another year, which he will do in Pennsylvania, but not in Pittsburgh.