JT BRUBAKER NEWS

Moves to 60-day IL Brubaker (elbow) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Sunday.

Impact The right-hander is dealing with elbow inflammation and is potentially facing season-ending surgery, so the move to the 60-day IL isn't a major surprise. Brubaker won't be eligible to return during the first two months of the campaign, though at this point it's unclear if he'll be able to pitch at all this season.

APRIL 2, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Placed on 15-day IL Brubaker (elbow) was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday, retroactive to March 27.

Impact Brubaker could be facing season-ending surgery for a right elbow injury that he suffered at the very end of spring training. He had been ticketed for a spot in the Pirates' starting rotation to open the 2023 campaign.

MARCH 30, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Might need season-ending surgery Brubaker's right elbow injury is "not minor" and could require season-ending surgery, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Impact The Pirates have simply referred to Brubaker's elbow injury as inflammation to this point, but it sounds like he has some structural damage. Mackey does add that the team is "holding out a sliver of hope" Brubaker can avoid season-ending surgery "through various treatments." Even if the right-hander is able to dodger surgery for now, it appears his rest and rehab would take a long time. Johan Oviedo has entered the Pirates' rotation in Brubaker's place.

MARCH 30, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

IL stint confirmed Pirates manager Derek Shelton confirmed Wednesday that Brubaker will open the season on the 15-day injured list while the right-hander recovers from elbow inflammation, Dejan Kovac...

Impact Look for the Pirates to make the transaction official shortly before Thursday's season opener in Cincinnati. Shelton didn't offer up a timeline for Brubaker's return, and until he's cleared to resume throwing again, the Pirates likely won't provide a target date for the 29-year-old to make his 2023 debut. Johan Oviedo is expected to take Brubaker's spot in the Bucs' season-opening rotation.

MARCH 29, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Report: Pirates RHP JT Brubaker expected to open season on IL Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander JT Brubaker is expected to open the season on the injured list with right elbow and forearm discomfort, the...

MARCH 27, 2023 • SACBEE.COM

Pirates' pitchers thrown a curve as JT Brubaker will likely miss start of season JT Brubaker is dealing with right elbow/forearm discomfort and will likely begin the season on the 15-day injured list.

MARCH 27, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM

Headed for IL with forearm issue Brubaker was scratched from his scheduled Grapefruit League start Monday against the Twins and is expected to open the season on the 15-day injured list while he deals with forearm...

Impact The Pirates may send Brubaker in for an MRI in the coming days to get a full scope of his injury, but any elbow-related issue for a pitcher is usually a precursor to an IL stint beyond the minimum 15 days. Until Brubaker gets more tests, however, the Pirates are unlikely to offer up a precise timeline for his return. With Brubaker set to open the season on the shelf, Pittsburgh will likely turn to Johan Oviedo to fill the final spot in its rotation.

MARCH 27, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Racking up strikeouts Brubaker has allowed eight earned runs to go along with 20 strikeouts and three walks across 12.1 innings in Grapefruit League action.

Impact Brubaker has an ugly 5.84 ERA in the exhibition season, but he has shown impressive strikeout stuff. He has a mediocre 23.3 percent strikeout rate across 315.2 career innings in the majors and has been primarily reliant upon groundballs to get outs, so it's not clear where his uptick in strikeouts is coming from. In his most recent outing Wednesday against Toronto, Brubaker punched out the likes of Whit Merrifield, Bo Bichette and Alejandro Kirk.

MARCH 17, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Pirates mailbag: Backing JT Brubaker, one breakout candidate, prospect ranking myths and more Does JT Brubaker deserve a rotation spot? Breakout candidates? What about those prospect lists? Answered in this week’s Pirates mailbag.

FEBRUARY 13, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM

Inks one-year deal Brubaker signed a one-year, $2.275 million contract with the Pirates on Friday to avoid arbitration, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.

Impact After recording a career-best 4.69 ERA in 28 starts last season, Brubaker will receive a nice raise from the $725,000 salary he pulled in 2022. Though the 29-year-old righty's stats may not exactly jump off the page, his above-average strikeout rate and 3.91 FIP suggest there could be potential for growth heading into 2023.

JANUARY 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Lasts 2.2 innings Tuesday Brubaker (arm) allowed three runs on four hits and a walk while striking out two in an 8-7 extra-inning loss Tuesday against St. Louis. He did not factor into the decision.

Impact In his first start since Sept. 15, Brubaker cruised through the first two innings, allowing one walk. In the third, he gave up four singles and three runs came around to score before he was removed with two outs. It was an up-and-down season for the 28-year-old but he finished the year with a career-best 4.69 ERA, 144 innings pitched and 147 strikeouts.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Reinstated for Tuesday's start Brubaker (arm) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list ahead of his start against the Cardinals on Tuesday.

Impact The 28-year-old was previously confirmed as the starter for Tuesday's contest and has now officially been activated from the injured list. Brubaker spent the past couple weeks on the shelf with right arm inflammation and could face some workload limitations given he hasn't seen game action since his last big-league start Sept. 15.

OCTOBER 4, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Back in action Brubaker (arm) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Tuesday's game against the Cardinals, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

Impact Brubaker has been ramping up his throwing program over the last week or so and will return to the mound to make one final start in 2022. He's hurled a career-high 141.1 innings and owns a 4.58 ERA and 1.46 WHIP with a 145:53 K:BB heading into Tuesday's outing.

OCTOBER 4, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Facing hitters Brubaker (arm) threw a live bullpen session Monday, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

Impact The newly acquired Miguel Andujar stepped in to take swings against Brubaker, who completed his first live work since landing on the 15-day injured list Sept. 18 with right arm inflammation. Brubaker looks like he'll have a chance to return before the Pirates' season comes to a close Oct. 5, but he probably won't have enough time to build back up to a traditional starter's workload.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Heads to IL with arm inflammation The Pirates placed Brubaker on the 15-day injured list Sunday with right arm inflammation, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

Impact Brubaker's early exit in his most recent start Thursday against the Mets was attributed to lat discomfort, but the Pirates characterized his injury differently upon placing him on the IL. Whatever the case, Brubaker won't be eligible to return from IL until Oct. 1, and with the season coming to an end less than a week after that date, it's possible the Pirates opt to keep him on the shelf for good. Luis Ortiz was called up from Triple-A Indianapolis and will presumably step into the rotation as a replacement for Brubaker, who has posted a 4.58 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 145:53 K:BB across 141.1 innings on the campaign.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Managing lat injury Brubaker (3-12) took the loss Thursday against the Mets and exited the start after three innings due to right lat discomfort, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports. The rig...

Impact Brubaker threw 42 of 71 pitches for strikes before being lifted with the injury after the third inning. The early exit ended a string of five straight starts of at least five frames, though he may not have pitched that deep regardless of the injury given his performance. It's unclear if the 28-year-old will be ready for his next turn through the rotation, which tentatively lines up for Wednesday versus the Yankees.

SEPTEMBER 16, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Ineffective in loss Brubaker (3-12) took the loss Thursday against the Mets, allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out five in three innings.

Impact Nine of the 18 batters Brubaker faced reached base safely, including the first six batters of the third inning. The big blow came when Francisco Lindor smashed a two-run homer. It was Brubaker's fifth homer allowed in his last four starts and he has a 6.86 ERA and 1.62 WHIP in that span. His next start will likely be in the middle of next week in New York against the Yankees.

SEPTEMBER 16, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

JT Brubaker suffers injury as Mets stomp Pirates QUEENS, N.Y. — Pirates right-hander JT Brubaker struck out the first two batters he faced on Thursday evening. That was just about the highl...

SEPTEMBER 16, 2022 • POST-GAZETTE.COM

New dad JT has 'a little rust' in 1st start back PITTSBURGH -- Over the past several months, JT Brubaker has reached some of the highest highs of his young career. He started on Opening Day...

SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 • MLB.COM

One long inning, dominant opposing starter sends JT Brubaker and Pirates to another loss It’s impossible to deny that JT Brubaker, for much of this season, has looked like an improved pitcher from 2021, when he tossed 124⅓ inning...

AUGUST 24, 2022 • POST-GAZETTE.COM

Cleared to start Tuesday Brubaker (finger) is scheduled to start Tuesday's home game against Atlanta, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

Impact Brubaker contended with a blister on his pitching hand his last time out Thursday against the Red Sox, but it didn't stop him from piling up seven strikeouts over seven shutout innings in what amounted to one of his best starts of the season. The right-hander was apparently able to do some throwing over the weekend without incident, so he'll return to the mound Tuesday on his typical four days' rest and shouldn't face any major workload restrictions when he takes on Atlanta.

AUGUST 21, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Stellar in win Brubaker (3-10) earned the victory Thursday over Boston, striking out seven in seven scoreless innings while allowing two hits and hitting one batter.

Impact Brubaker was dominant as he scattered two singles and the hit batsman and only one baserunner made it past first base. He efficiently carved up the Red Sox's lineup but was pulled after just 84 pitches after he developed a blister, Mike Persak of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Over his last 10 starts, the 28-year-old is 3-3 with a 3.83 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, three homers allowed and a 59:18 K:BB in 56.1 innings. Assuming he can overcome the blister issue, Brubaker figures to start Wednesday against Atlanta.

AUGUST 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Settles for no-decision Thursday Brubaker did not factor in the decision against Arizona on Thursday, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out six batters over five innings.

Impact Brubaker allowed a pair of runs in the fourth inning but was otherwise impressive, allowing only one hit and one walk over his other four frames. The right-hander racked up 13 swinging strikes and finished with six punchouts for the second straight game, but he lost his chance at a victory when the Pirates' bullpen gave up seven runs in the seventh inning. Brubaker has had some poor outings this season, but he's given up three or fewer earned runs while pitching at least five frames in 14 of his 22 starts.

AUGUST 12, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Takes tenth loss Brubaker (2-10) gave up three earned runs over four innings and took the loss Saturday as the Pirates fell to the Orioles. He allowed eight hits, struck out six and walked two.

Impact Brubaker's ERA sat at 3.96 as recently as July 30, but after giving up 10 earned runs in 8.1 innings over his last two outings, his ERA spiked up to 4.49. He will attempt to get back on track next week out west, either against the Diamondbacks on regular rest or against the Giants if he is pushed back at all.

AUGUST 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Hammered for seven runs Brubaker (2-9) yielded seven runs on 12 hits over 4.1 innings Sunday, striking out four and taking a loss to the Phillies.

Impact After allowing two runs in the first inning, Brubaker tossed three shutout frames. He was then tagged with five runs in an ugly fifth inning, including a leadoff homer from Kyle Schwarber. Brubaker's ERA jumped from 3.96 to 4.40 in the ugly outing but he improved his K:BB to 105:42. It was also his shortest outing since coughing up six runs against Arizona on June 3. Brubaker is projected to start in Baltimore next weekend.

AUGUST 1, 2022 • ROTOWIRE