Pirates put up the Bat Signal for A.J. Burnett’s return

A.J. Burnett went on the disabled list at the end of July with an elbow strain, and before he made his return on Thursday night the Pirates decided to show the starter how much they had missed him by putting up the Bat Signal.

A.J. Burnett went on the disabled list at the end of July with an elbow strain, and before he made his return on Thursday night the Pirates decided to show the starter how much they had missed him by putting up the Bat Signal.

The city of Pittsburgh teamed up with Warner Bros. and DC Comics to put the iconic call for help from the Batman comics and movies on the skyline, and Batman superfan Burnett let everyone know the gesture was appreciated following the team’s 13–inning loss to the Brewers, according to MLB.com

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“Pretty cool. By far the coolest thing that's happened to me in my career, said Burnett, who logged five innings after a shaky three-run first in a no-decision.

“As much as you'd like to have a 'W' at the end of a night like that, for the people behind it ... a big thank you. It was incredible.”

The most recent Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises, filmed many scenes using Pittsburgh as a stand–in for Gotham, including a memorable scene in which the movies villain, Bane, blows up Heinz Field.

Fred Vuich/AP Images