Yankees acquire rehabbing pitcher JT Brubaker from Pirates: 'There's a lot more in the tank'

HOUSTON — The Yankees added an experienced pitcher that they can stash away on Friday, trading a player to be named later to the Pirates for JT Brubaker. The Yanks also received international signing bonus money.

Brubaker is still recovering from Tommy John surgery after not pitching at all in 2023, and he’s not expected back until the summer. He is on the 60-day injured list.

“I don’t know his timeline,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He did some decent things as a starter in 2021 and 2022 with the Pirates. I know we like his arm. But I don’t know that much yet, frankly.”

Brubaker, 30, owns a 4.99 ERA over 63 games (61 starts) and three seasons with Pittsburgh. While nothing special, his 3.92 FIP in 2022 indicated that he was better than his 4.69 ERA suggested.

“I was pumped to see that we just traded for him,” Yankees reliever Clay Holmes told the New York Daily News. “I just shot him a text. I think he’s excited. I played with him some in the minor leagues, some in the big leagues in Pittsburgh.

“He’s shown flashes of [being really good]. He was Pittsburgh’s minor league pitcher of the year one year and he’s had some success in the big leagues. But I think there’s a lot more in the tank.”

Primarily reliant on a sinker-slider combo, the right-handed Brubaker fits a mold that the Yankees have sought in recent years. Holmes and Nick Burdi, another ex-Pirate, fit that mold.

With that said, Holmes expects the Yankees to adjust Brubaker’s repertoire once healthy.

“He’s a competitor when he’s out there,” Holmes said. “He’s got a really good slider. He throws the sinker. I’ll be interested in what they tweak with his arsenal and whatnot, but he could be a really good pitcher.”