A.J. Burnett amped for rehab, hopes to pitch again for Pirates

RHP A.J. Burnett (Ben Margot/AP)

Monday’s news that A.J. Burnett would miss about four weeks with a right flexor strain was a big sigh of relief for Burnett.

"Of all the news that could have come,“ he said, ”this is the most positive."

Burnett met with media for a few minutes before the Pirates’ game Monday night. He seemed grateful the diagnosis hadn’t been far worse, as many had feared. 

Here’s most of what he had to say ...

On when he might return ...

"The timetable is iffy. We're shooting at four weeks. Could be before, could be after." Waiting for soreness of shot to go away. Plan is to pitch again. "This is the news you want in order to get back on the mound. If it was anything ligament-wise, I'd have to reconsider. ... I was hoping for no bad news, but this was the news I was more hoping for than not, because guys come back from this." GRILLI. Talked with a few guys. "It's my best shot to get back on the mound."

Did you let yourself go to that dark place of thinking you’d thrown your last pitch already?

"Everybody was writing it, so you can't help but think about it. I was prepared for both. I've been down this road 12 years ago with the Tommy John. The feeling is so similar when it happens."

Is it encouraging that you should be able to go out on your own terms?

"Honestly, this ain't my terms. This is just what I've got to deal with. The fact I can get back on the mound healthy is what I'm going for. If it's like the other night, I can't take the mound. I won't feel right. If I'm not at a level to compete the way I need to compete and stay within myself where it's not affecting me as a player and a human on the field, then I won't. But this is the news and situation where I can get back to where I can just compete the way I compete without having anything in the back of my mind slowing anything down."

An arm injury made Mariano Rivera decide to play another year. Might you reconsider, too?

"This is my last year. ... I'm not Mariano Rivera. My mind is made up. I have the news now where I feel 100 percent positive that I will return. Now, if the results were different my mind wouldn't be made up, it'd just be a terrible way to go out. The way I look at it is I have given my heart to these guys and this city the best I can, the best I could with coming back, and I'm very pleased I'll get the opportunity hopefully to do that again in four weeks."

Hard to have patience at a time like this? 

"One hundred percent. Yeah. But I'm going to be smart about it, too. There's no going out there like the other night. I can't do that to myself or these guys. It's not fair. But I'm looking forward to it, man, to having no doubts, to putting a step forward every day and getting back out there. I'm not going to jeopardize anything for me not to be able to get on the field. I'm going to do everything in my power to get back on the field."

Did you have your family in town for moral support?

“Yeah, yeah. ... And the support of the fans and the city ... social media has been off the hook. It's really humbling to know everybody is there and has your back."