PITTSBURGH -- A.J. Burnett is back with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitcher agreed Friday to an $8.5 million, one-year contract -- $4.25 million less than the player option he turned down with Philadelphia. A 37-year-old right-hander, Burnett went 26-21 with a 3.41 ERA for Pittsburgh in 2012-13, helping the Pirates return to the postseason in 2013 following a 21-year drought. He spurned an offer from Pittsburgh last offseason and eventually signed with Philadelphia, where he went 8-18 with a 4.59 ERA in 34 starts. His 18 losses led the majors. Burnett and the Phillies both declined a $15 million mutual option, and the pitcher then turned down his player option. Pittsburgh needed insurance for a rotation that could lose Francisco Liriano and Edinson Volquez in free agency.
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