JT Brubaker DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

New York Yankees starting pitcher JT Brubaker (back) was forced to exit early on Friday after getting hit by a comebacker on the mound. Yankees' manager Aaron Boone said that Brubaker tweaked his side while attempting to get out of the way of the line drive. The Yankees might have Brubaker rest for a few days, but this doesn't seem like a long-term issue. The right-hander hasn't pitched in the MLB since the 2022 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Brubaker appeared in eight games between four levels in the minor leagues with the Yankees last season. He figures to operate as depth in Triple-A to begin the season.UPDATE: Brubaker "tweaked his side" trying to get out of the way of a comebacker, according to manager Aaron Boone.

New York Yankees right-hander JT Brubaker (oblique) was scheduled to throw a live batting practice session at camp on Wednesday. Brubaker had Tommy John surgery in April of 2023 and has not pitched in a big-league game since 2022 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he went 3-12 with a 4.69 ERA (3.92 FIP), 1.46 WHIP, a career-high 147 strikeouts and 54 walks in 144 innings over 28 starts. The 31-year-old isn't facing any restrictions in spring training this year with the Yankees after suffering an oblique strain while rehabbing in July of last year. Sixty-one of Brubaker's 63 appearances in his three big-league seasons with Pittsburgh came in a starting role, but he's most likely to occupy a long-relief role in the Bronx if he's on the big-league roster in 2025. The fact that he's out of minor-league options helps his chances of earning an Opening Day roster spot, but fantasy managers can ignore him almost everywhere.

The New York Yankees acquired right-hander JT Brubaker (elbow) from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday in exchange for a player to be named later, according to a source. Brubaker will give the Yankees some additional starting-pitching depth, but not until later this year while he recovers from Tommy John surgery. The 30-year-old has been nothing special in his three big-league seasons with the Pirates, going a combined 9-28 with a 4.99 ERA (4.43 FIP) and 1.38 WHIP with 109 walks and 324 strikeouts in 315 2/3 innings over 63 appearances (61 starts). While he probably won't be anything more than a spot starter in the Bronx, the move to the American League East is also a downgrade for the former sixth-round pick in 2015 out of Akron.

The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided salary arbitration with right-hander JT Brubaker on Wednesday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.275 million deal, according to a source. Brubaker won't receive any kind of raise after missing all of the 2023 season following his Tommy John surgery in April. The 30-year-old said his goal this year is to return to the Pirates around the All-Star break. He made a career-high 28 starts for Pittsburgh in 2022 and went 3-12 with a 4.69 ERA (3.92 FIP) and 1.46 WHIP with 54 walks and 147 strikeouts in 144 innings pitched. Brubaker really hasn't been much of a fantasy asset at all in his three big-league seasons, posting a 4.99 ERA (4.43 FIP) and 1.38 WHIP with a 23.3 percent strikeout rate over 315 2/3 innings over 63 outings (61 starts).