Pittsburgh Pirates Avoid Arbitration with Injured Right-Hander

The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided arbitration and agreed to a 2024 contract with right-handed pitcher JT Brubaker, who is injured and out until approximately mid-season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to a 2024 contract with right-handed pitcher JT Brubaker, avoiding arbitration.

Per Pirates' reporter Jason Mackey on social media:

Source confirms: Pirates and JT Brubaker avoid arbitration & agree on $2.275 million contract for '24. Projection was $2.28 million. Similar to Jamo coming back from TJ.

@Wins_Williams on it.

Source confirms: Pirates and JT Brubaker avoid arbitration & agree on $2.275 million contract for '24. Projection was $2.28 million. Similar to Jamo coming back from TJ. @Wins_Williams on it.

— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) January 10, 2024

The 30-year-old Brubaker has had some tough luck in his career, going 9-28 overall. Despite the unsightly record, he still has an ERA that's respectable at 4.99. He had an ERA under 5.00 in both 2020 and 2022. He made his debut during that 2020 season.

Unfortunately, he missed all of the 2023 season with Tommy John surgery and will be out until approximately mid-season. 

He's under contract through 2025.

Pittsburgh looks like a team that is primed to improve in 2024. They finished fourth in the National League Central last season but have added veteran pitchers Martin Perez and Marco Gonzales, which should help stabilize the rotation. Furthermore, they have a young crop of position players like Ke'Bryan Hayes and Oneil Cruz, who should be healthy this year after injury-plagued 2023 seasons. Cruz missed nearly the entire season with a broken ankle and Hayes missed nearly 40 games.

Also, the Pirates feature one of the most exciting prospects in all of baseball: Pitcher Paul Skenes. Though he's expected to start the year in the minors, he is the No. 3 prospect in the sport and could make his debut at the end of the season, per a report on Wednesday.

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