page_title: A. J. Burnett
section_title: Toronto Blue Jays
hierarchical_section_title: A. J. Burnett / Professional career / Major leagues / Toronto Blue Jays
caption_attribution_description: A. J. Burnett
context_page_description: Allan James Burnett, is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Philadelphia Phillies for 17 seasons.
  The New York Mets drafted Burnett in the eighth round of the 1995 MLB draft, out of Central Arkansas Christian School in North Little Rock, Arkansas, where he helped lead the team to back-to-back state championships. The Mets traded him to the Marlins, and Burnett made his MLB debut in 1999. He signed with the Blue Jays as a free agent, before the 2006 season, and with the Yankees before the 2009 season. The Yankees traded Burnett to the Pirates before the 2012 season. After two years in Pittsburgh, he signed with the Phillies, where he played one season, before rejoining the Pirates for his final season.
  Burnett recorded a no-hitter in a complete game shutout in 2001, despite walking 9 batters. He led the National League in shutouts in 2002, and the American League in strikeouts in 2008. Burnett was a member of the 2009 World Series champion Yankees. He was selected for the NL roster for the 2015 MLB All-Star Game.
context_section_description: On the morning of December 6, 2005, at the Baseball Winter Meetings being held in Dallas, Texas, the Toronto Blue Jays signed Burnett to a five-year, $55 million deal.
  The Blue Jays took a chance by signing Burnett due to his being prone to injuries, and the 2006 season began with him going on the disabled list when a piece of scar tissue—remnants of his Tommy John surgery—broke off in his pitching arm. However, some baseball commentators like RotoWorld and Tim Dierkes still considered the signing worthwhile, since many of the other free agent pitchers that year, like Matt Morris and Paul Byrd had less impressive career stats, even though they had fewer health risks.
  Burnett was activated on April 15, 2006, and made a start against the Chicago White Sox, giving up four runs in six innings of work. In his next start, against the Boston Red Sox, Burnett was removed from the game after only four innings due to soreness in his right arm. He would end up on the disabled list again, this time for over two months. Burnett finished the 2006 year on a strong note however, finishing the season with a 10–8 record and a 3.98 ERA.
  After opening the 2007 season with a very poor outing against the Detroit Tigers, lasting only 2.0 innings and allowing five hits and six runs (27.00 ERA), Burnett settled down in his next four starts, finishing April 2–1, with an ERA of 4.18.
  The Blue Jays experienced a number of injuries early, including losing All-Star closer B. J. Ryan for the season due to an elbow injury, and Opening Day starter Roy Halladay to an appendectomy for four weeks. Burnett was the only pitcher to make all his starts through the first two months of the season. In that period, Burnett posted a 3.98 ERA, throwing 71.0 innings. Burnett missed 48 games during two stints on the disabled list, finishing the 2007 season 10–8 with an ERA of 3.75.
  The 2008 season started off with frustration for Burnett due to a right index finger injury he suffered during the offseason, the nail of the index finger partially torn after it was caught in a closing car door.
  Against Chicago White Sox pitcher Javier Vázquez in early September at U.S. Cellular Field, Burnett took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before giving up a hard hit that bounced off Scott Rolen's glove, but got the win. Vazquez himself also pitched well, not giving up a hit until the fourth inning but ultimately took the loss.
  On September 24, in Burnett's final start of the season (number 34), he pitched against the Yankees, lasting eight innings, giving up two runs (one earned), seven hits and striking out 11, to finish off the season with an AL-leading 231 strikeouts. When he was relieved in the beginning of the ninth inning, he received a very long and memorable standing ovation and came out for a curtain call after being congratulated by the players. Despite his outing, he was awarded a no-decision, and the Jays lost 6–2 in extra innings.
  Burnett finished the 2008 season with an 18–10 record and established career highs in almost every single pitching category. He set a career high with 18 wins, appeared in 35 games while starting 34 games, pitched 221​¹⁄₃ innings, and led the American league with 231 strikeouts. His 34 starts also led the AL, and he threw curveballs a higher percentage of the time than any other AL starter; 29.2%. His five-year contract with the Blue Jays allowed him to opt out at the end of the 2008 season, and he chose to do so, becoming a free agent.
caption: Burnett with the Yankees in 2009.
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