The Pittsburgh Pirates are still looking for their first win of the season as the team continues to fall to the Cincinnati Reds. They will be placing their faith in a veteran pitcher who is back in the rotation after toying with retirement. The Pirates are banking on AJ Burnett regaining his old for as the team looking to get a win in the final game against the Reds in their first series of the season.
Burnett is back after going 26-21 with a 3.41 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in two seasons with the Pirates. The veteran fell off big time in 2014 after finishing with a career-worst record 8-18. Burnett's ERA jumped to 4.59 while his strength and speed dipped as well. The Phillies opted not to bring him back after the one year. The veteran sat around as a free agent before the Pirates opted to bring him back, but Burnett believes this will be his last year pitching.
"I'm just a little older," Burnett said, via MLB's official website. "I feel better than I have in the past at this time, so I'm confident I'm where I need to be."
Burnett has never pitched against the Reds while with the PIrates, but he did go 5-3 with a 2.35 ERA while with the Phillies last season. The Reds lineup certainly had their success against the pitcher. JOey Votto went 7-for-20 while Jay Bruce has 10 strikeouts against him. That could help the Reds continue to win against the Pirates as they have won four straight home games against the franchise. Votto was responsible for the Wednesday win, getting the winning run.
The Reds will put up Anthony DeSclafani on the mount who is making his debut with the team after being acquired from the Miami Marlins. The young star went 2-2 with a 6.27 ERA while with Miami last year. He struggled in the spring giving up a 1-2 record with a 3.64 ERA. He allowed eight runs in his final start.