A.J. Burnett Injury: Updates on Pirates Star's Elbow and Return

A.J. Burnett allowed eight runs in 4.1 innings in a 15-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on July 30. A day later, the pitcher was placed on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation, which was later determined to be a strained flexor tendon, though his ulnar collateral ligament was intact, according to Fox Sports' Jon Morosi.

Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that Burnett later received a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection on Aug. 3 to stimulate his recovery, as the pitcher did not want to undergo surgery.

"In my mind, surgery is not an option either way," Burnett said on Aug. 2, via Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "It's a matter of doing enough treatment and building up some pain tolerance so I can stay on the mound in the stretch run."

Burnett is slated to return to the rotation this week.

Continue for updates.

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Burnett Projected for Thursday Start

Monday, Sept. 7

The Pirates confirmed that Burnett is slated to take the mound against the Milwaukee Brewers, which puts the pitcher ahead of his targeted return date of a Sept. 15-17 series against Chicago, as Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted on Aug. 30.

"I expect to be throwing soon for the Pirates, because I feel great," Burnett said, via Tom Singer of MLB.com on Sept. 4. "I came here to help us win, and I can't do that on the DL. I just want to come back, do my job and try to get us closer to our goal. I know I'm not getting paid to get our guys out, I know that."

Burnett "was so encouraged by a 71-pitch bullpen session (on Aug. 30) that afterward he smiled, shrugged and said, 'I don’t want to say I could have pitched today, but maybe I could have pitched today,'" wrote Nesbitt. “The pain is gone,” Burnett said. “It’s great. It’s better than it’s been in a long time.”

Burnett's return to a starting role is not a surprise, as the pitcher was not planned to be worked into the bullpen upon his recovery, as Biertempfel reported on Aug. 25.