The New York Yankees are close to dealing starting pitcher A.J. Burnett to the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to ESPN.com. The website reported Sunday that sources close to both clubs have confirmed the teams are working through conditions to finalize the deal.
The Yankees have been engaged in talks with four teams but the Pirates have apparently emerged as the front-runner.
New York wants to move Burnett, who is owed $33 million for the next two seasons, and Pittsburgh has been looking for a veteran starter who can provide innings, ESPN says.
With the Yankees, Burnett had a 34-35 record with a 4.79 ERA.
The two teams haven’t agreed on the dollar figure the Yankees will eat to facilitate the trade, and they haven’t agreed on the players that the Pirates will send to the Yankees.
But they have found enough common ground that Pittsburgh is now the clear front-runner.
A source familiar with the negotiations had told ESPN New York’s Wallace Matthews that the talks had “legs” and were “real.”
But Pirates right fielder Garrett Jones, a left-handed hitter the Yankees coveted, had been taken off the table, according to the source.
The Yankees will go into spring training next weekend with a starter surplus after acquiring Michael Pineda from the Seattle Mariners and adding free agent Hiroki Kuroda.
With those two, CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova solidified in the rotation, Burnett would have to beat out Phil Hughes and Freddy Garcia for the fifth starting spot if he were to remain in pinstripes, which has led many to think Burnett will be gone by the time pitchers and catchers report.
NAPOLI SIGNS DEAL
Catcher Mike Napoli and the Texas Rangers finalized a $9.4 million, one-year contract to avoid a salary arbitration hearing.
Napoli set career highs last season by hitting .320 with 30 homers and 75 RBI in 113 games in his first season with Texas, making starts at catcher, first base and designated hitter. He spent his first five major league seasons with the Los Angeles Angles before being traded twice in a five-day period last winter.
“Mike was a really good fit for us,” Texas general manager Jon Daniels said. “You look at the season he had and it’s kind of remarkable, he really didn’t play a ton the first half between injuries and he got off to a slow start. Basically from the All-Star break on, he was on about as long a hot streak as I can remember.”
After missing three weeks with a strained left oblique and returning to the lineup July 4, Napoli hit .378 with 20 homers and 50 RBI over the last 67 regular-season games as the Rangers won their second consecutive American League pennant. He hit .328 with three homers and 15 RBI in 17 postseason games, including 10 RBI in the World Series.
The 30-year-old Napoli, who made $5.8 million last season, had asked for $11.8 million in arbitration and was scheduled for a hearing Wednesday. The Rangers had offered $8.3 million.
Napoli severely sprained his left ankle running the bases in the fourth inning of Game 6 of the World Series. Napoli finished that game and even played Game 7, though the Rangers aren’t certain that he is fully recovered yet.
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