A.J. Burnett was enthusiastic after throwing 71 pitches Sunday morning at PNC Park, so much so that he's starting to consider a potential return date.
"I know there could be something around the Chicago series (Sept. 15-17), but that could change," Burnett said after working up a sweat in the Pirates' bullpen. He's been out of the rotation since July 30, when he allowed eight runs in 4 1/3 innings at Cincinnati.
Four days later, Burnett was diagnosed with a strained flexor tendon in his right elbow. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection Aug. 3 and started throwing again eight days later. He's been on a rehab plan since, but he asked to change the venue of Sunday's simulated game from the field to the bullpen in order to better control the conditions.
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