The last time that Yankees pitcher JT Brubaker was on the mound in an MLB game was in October 2022, and things did not go well. He lasted just 2.2 innings, and allowed three runs on four hits and a walk. That wrapped up a year in which he went just 3-12.
The following season, Brubaker spent spring training with Pittsburgh but left in late March when he felt discomfort in his elbow. He was found to have a torn UCL, and underwent Tommy John surgery soon thereafter. Brubaker was expected to have a recovery time of 14-16 months, putting him in line to be back in the bigs around midseason 2024.
The Yankees, hoping for a full recovery, traded for Brubaker last spring.
But the recovery never came to pass. Brubaker again got hurt, injuring an oblique muscle, and never got through his minor-league rehab starts–six altogether, including one at Single-A, two at Double-A and three at Triple-A.
There was hope, too, that Brubaker would finally be ready for the 2025 season, but that was also torpedoed, this when he broke three of his ribs avoiding a comebacker in spring training.
Yankees Activate JT Brubaker
Now, though, it looks like the Yankees are finally ready to see what they have in Brubaker. He is being activated by the team, according to a post from reporter Robert Murray of FanSided.
Wrote Murray: “The Yankees are activating right-hander J.T. Brubaker, sources say. Brubaker was acquired by the Yankees from the Pirates in March last year and after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023 and suffering cracked ribs in spring training this season, Brubaker is back in the majors.”
Reliever Scott Effross was sent down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room for Brubaker with the Yankees, who are in need of starting pitching help with Gerrit Cole on the shelf and both Marcus Stroman and Luis Gil still rehabbing from their injuries.
The Yankees have gotten consistent efforts from the top of the rotation, including Max Fried, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt. But they badly need rotation depth, and could look to Brubaker to add it.
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