According to a report from Todd Zolecki, the Phillies are still “very much in the running” for right-hander A.J. Burnett. Exactly one week ago, it was reported that the Phillies were in a three-team race with the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates to acquire the services of the veteran pitcher. Just a few days ago, Jim Salisbury reported that Ruben Amaro Jr. was content on going into Spring Training with what the team had, stating the team was still looking for potential bargains but would be fine going into camp with what they had. According to Zolecki, it looks like those plans have changed.
Analysis: Burnett would be an instant upgrade to a Phillies rotation full of question marks. Beyond Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee, the Phillies have a number of question marks, including Kyle Kendrick, Robert Hernandez, Jonathan Pettibone, and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez. Burnett is one of the few remaining impact players left this late in the offseason.
