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Report: Pirates pitcher A.J. Burnett to start on Sunday

Pirates ace A.J. Burnett is scheduled to come off the DL and start Sunday. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

A.J. Burnett has a Grade 1 tear in his right calf. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher A.J. Burnett will return to the rotation on Sunday to pitch against the Chicago Cubsaccording to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Burnett, 36, has been on the disabled list since suffering a Grade 1 tear in his right calf last month. He threw a bullpen session to test the calf on Thursday. Burnett did not make any minor league rehab starts.

Burnett was 4-6 with a 3.12 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 14 starts before the injury. His strikeout rate (9.96 K/9) is the fifth-highest in baseball.

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Right-hander Jeanmar Gomez was scheduled to start Sunday and may go back to the bullpen.

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