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David Aardsma will wear No. 34 while playing for the New York Yankees. The news led to the Tweet of the Day courtesy of New York Daily News beat writer Mark Feinsand:

Burnett was traded February 19 and Aardsma signed February 22, a quick turnaround to give No. 34 a new home. Courtesy of YankeeNumbers.com, Aardsma joins a long line of Yankee players to bear the number.

Follow Jon Lane on Twitter: @JonLaneNYC

The A.J. Burnett Era in the Bronx is officially over. The Yankees and Pirates formally announced the deal that sent Burnett to Pittsburgh for Minor League pitcher Diego Moreno and outfielder Exicardo Cayones.

The finally tally on Burnett’s tenure in pinstripes since signing a five-year deal for $82.5 million:

• A 34-35 record with a 4.79 ERA in 99 games (98 starts).

• His 58 wild pitches recorded during his three-year stint with the Yankees were the most for any Major League pitcher over a three-season span since Tony Cloninger’ 62 from 1964 through 1966 (credit: the Elias Sports Bureau).

• He was 11-11, 5.15 in 2011 while setting career-highs in home runs allowed (31) and tying a career-high in earned runs allowed (109)

• Burnett’s 25 wild pitches

By Sunday A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh will be a done deal. Burnett passing his physical and Commissioner Bud Selig signing off on the trade are formalities.

Once the transaction is complete, the Yankees can focus on filling their open DH role. It’s said they prefer Raul Ibanez because they view Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui as no longer able to play the outfield. It’s down to Ibanez and Damon at this point due to the condition of Matsui’s knees. The Yankees know what they have in Damon. He’s still feisty at the plate, can draw walks and steal bases, and is a tremendous clubhouse influence.

Ibanez has been a target of criticism over social media due to his age (40), and steep declines in batting average, OBP, SLG and OPS from 2010 to 2011. He’s also a lefty

From Ken Rosenthal: The Yankees and Pirates are finally in agreement on a trade that will send A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh. One last detail is being hammered out, but Burnett is scheduled to take a physical on Sunday.

The deal will also need approval from Major League baseball due to the large amount of money exchanged. The Yankees have approximately $31.5 million remaining on Burnett's contract and the Pirates will pay $13 million. In return, the Yankees receive two low-level minor leaguers from Pirates and have money free to sign a designated hitter (the favorite is Raul Ibanez). The team is also targeting a return of Eric Chavez as a reserve corner infielder.

Once the Burnett deal becomes official, it's a win-win. For the Yankees it’s addition by subtraction. While the competition

A.J. Burnett remains a New York Yankee. Talks between the Yanks and Pirates regarding a trade are at an impasse because the Bucs are willing to pick up only $10 million of the $33 million left on Burnett’s contract. They’re not dead, mind you, just in a holding pattern due to the intricate process of exchanging big money in a deal that also must cross Commissioner Bud Selig’s desk for his signature.

If not for Burnett’s no-trade clause he would have been en route to Anaheim. A deal was in place for the Yankees to reacquire Bobby Abreu, reports Chad Jennings, from the Angels, thus finding their left-handed hitter to fill the designated hitter’s role.  However, Burnett’s wife is afraid of flying, which nixes any team located on the west coast.

Ken

The idea of Travis Hafner in pinstripes? Forget it.

MLB.com has reported that the Yankees and Indians discussed a package invloving Hafner and A.J. Burnett, the deal is off the table. As I wrote earlier, money is probably the root of problem.

From all accounts it's either Bradenton or Tampa, Fla., for Burnett this weekend.

Follow Jon Lane on Twitter: @JonLaneNYC

A.J. Burnett has become a popular name a mere five days before Yankees pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training. There’s reported optimism that the Yanks will reach agreement with the Pittsburgh Pirates either by week’s end, but two other teams have entered the fray.

Like the Pirates, the L.A. Angels can use another arm. Southern California is a great place to live and play – and former Yankee Bobby Abreu (.253-8-60/.353/.365) was a name apparently floated around in conversations – but the Angels are one of 10 teams on Burnett’s no-trade list. Burnett’s wife is afraid of flying, a big reason why the right-hander prefers the East Coast.

Best-suited for the Yankees are rumored trade talks with the Indians that would bring slugger Travis Hafner

Right now the chances of the Yankees and Pirates agreeing on a deal that would send A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh stand at 50-50, writes Andrew Marchand. While it would benefit the Yanks to eliminate a rotation logjam and free up some salary, it appears that they’re the ones holding the cards. The Yankees view idea of a Burnett trade as a preference and not desperation, and won’t pull the trigger until they receive the right players and ideal financial parameters. Ken Rosenthal reported Sunday afternoon that the Yankees will likely pay between $19 and $23 million of the $33 million left on Burnett’s contract, and receive players not on Pirates’ 40-man roster.

From all accounts, there’s optimism that a deal will get done before Yankees pitchers and catchers report

There’s nothing imminent, but there’s apparently hope that the Yankees and Pirates can strike a deal that would send A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh. Jon Heyman adds that while the teams are “a few million apart” in negotiations, they were still talking.

The Yankees’ goal is to convince a taker to pay part of the $33 million remaining on Burnett’s contract over the next two years to help them sign a designated hitter. Heyman tweeted the Yanks offered to pay the Bucs less than one-third of the salary, something closer to a 50-50 split, but that wasn’t enough. The Pirates also turned down the Yankees’ request that lefty-swinging Garrett Jones be part of the deal.

The Pirates’ plan is to platoon Jones, 30, with Casey McGehee at first base.