Burnett winless despite stellar start to season
The Pirates couldn’t ask for anything more so far this season from A.J. Burnett.
The 38-year-old right-hander has a 1.45 ERA in five starts.
“He’s gotten off to a very good start for us here,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “He’s been very competitive on the mound, he continues to help grow some people up along the way.”
The only things missing so far are wins and run support. Burnett is 0-1 and the Pirates have scored five runs while he has been in the game.
“Every pitcher would like to get a win, but where he is right now it’s about the team winning,” Hurdle said. “He wants to get to the postseason, regardless of what his record is.
“He’s in a good place from a competitive angle.”
Burnett pitched another gem Friday night at St. Louis, shutting out the Cardinals for six innings while allowing just two hits. Yet he again had nothing to show for it, getting a no decision as the Cardinals rallied for a 2-1 victory in 10 innings.
Burnett, who signed a free-agent deal with the Phillies in 2014, opted out of an option year after an 8-18 year in order to rejoin the Pirates for what he says is his last season. Burnett walked away from the $12.5 million he would have made with the Phillies to a sign a one-year, $8.5-million contact with the Pirates.
“He loves to compete, great physical condition, wants to finish up in a place that he’s passionate about, wants to help make a difference here in the last year that he’s pitching,” Hurdle said.
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The Pirates and Chicago Cubs possess the type of young talent that should make them forces, along with the Cardinals, in the National League Central for many years to come.
Thus, it is a good sign for the Pirates that right-hander Gerrit Cole has won each of his first four career starts against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, the latest coming Wednesday night.
Cole became just the fourth pitcher ever to win his first four starts at the 101-year-old ballpark in Chicago while also not allowing a home run, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
That puts Cole on a distinguished short list that includes Grover “Pete” Alexander (1916-17), Vida Blue (1978-86) and Mike Morgan (1989-91). Alexander is in the Hall of Fame, Blue won a Cy Young Award and Morgan had a 22-year career.
Cole has also won each of his first six career starts against the Cubs overall. The last Pirates pitcher to have a longer streak against a team to begin his career was Dock Ellis, who won seven straight against the San Diego Padres from 1969-71.
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The Pirates finished April with a run differential of plus-18, scoring 89 runs and allowing 71 while going 12-10.
That ranked third in the National League behind the Cardinals (37) and Los Angeles Dodgers (23), and sixth in the major leagues. The Kansas City Royals’ plus-45 led the majors.