Tonight is a pretty notable game for the Pirates for two reasons: one is that it’s AJ Burnett’s first start since a disastrous outing against the Reds on July 30th that forced the Pirates to go out and trade for JA Happ (which was maybe not the worst thing in the world, all things considered). He’s been out just about six weeks with his strained flexor tendon, which is just about the same amount of time Jason Grilli missed with his in 2013. Grilli’s velocity didn’t bounce right back that season, although he was more or less the same pitcher within a few weeks of his return. Burnett doesn’t quite have that luxury, of course, but he is important to the Pirates’ playoff hopes: if he’s healthy, that would allow them to keep both Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke out of the playoff rotation. That would probably be a good thing for the club (no offense to either Locke or Morton).
It’s also notable because they’re playing the Brewers, who have swept them twice since the All-Star Break after taking two of three from them in their last series before the break. This is, flatly, why the Pirates are not currently either in first place or within a more reasonable striking distance of the Cardinals. They cannot go back in time and un-lose these lost games, but they can at least win two or three in this series at PNC Park.
First pitch is at 7:05. Pirate Killer Jimmy Nelson starts for the Brewers. Pedro Alvarez is at first, Josh Harrison is at second, Jung Ho Kang is at third, everyone else is where you’d expect them to be.
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