Pirates avoid arbitration with RHP JT Brubaker, who signs 1-year deal for $9.725 million
The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided arbitration with right-handed pitcher JT Brubaker on Wednesday by agreeing to a one-year contract for $2.725 million, a source confirmed to TribLive.
Brubaker will make the same salary as he did last year, which he missed after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He was projected to make $2.8 million in 2024 by MLB Trade Rumors. Friday is the deadline for teams and arbitration-eligible players to submit salary figures, with arbitration cases expected to be heard later in the month.
The Pirates previously avoided arbitration with left-handed reliever Ryan Borucki by agreeing to a one-year, $1.6 million deal in November. Two-time All-Star closer David Bednar, All-Star right-hander Mitch Keller and outfielder Connor Joe also are eligible for arbitration.
Brubaker, 30, was leading the Grapefruit League with 26 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings before being shut down in the final week of spring training and having surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow in April. Brubaker said Saturday at PiratesFest that he hopes to return after the All-Star break.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pounder was 3-12 with a 4.69 ERA and 1.47 WHIP with 147 strikeouts (9.2 per nine innings) in 144 innings over 28 starts in 2022. A 2015 sixth-round pick out of Akron, Brubaker has a 9-28 career record with a 4.99 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 63 games (61 starts) over three seasons with the Pirates.
