PITTSBURGH — Pirates right-hander JT Brubaker had Tommy John surgery, the team announced Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Brubaker, 29, has been part of the rotation the past three years. Last season, he went 3-12 with a 4.69 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP.
- Over five spring training starts, Brubaker put up a 5.19 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and averaged 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings.
- He left camp March 26 and flew to Pittsburgh to be examined by team doctors after reporting discomfort in his right forearm/elbow. After Brubaker got a second opinion Tuesday, Dr. Keith Meister operated to reconstruct Brubaker’s ulnar collateral ligament.
- Brubaker is expected to return to game action in 14 to 16 months.
RHP JT Brubaker underwent right elbow surgery by Dr. Keith Meister today to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL).
His projected full return to Major League competition is 14-16 months.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 12, 2023
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
What does this mean for the Pirates’ rotation?
Righty John Oviedo, who was set to open the season as a swingman in the bullpen, instead moved into the rotation. Over two starts, he is 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP and is averaging 7.1 strikeouts per nine innings.
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Oviedo, 25, was acquired last August from the Cardinals in the José Quintana trade. He’s had brief stints in the majors in each of the past three seasons and has gone 4-11 with a 4.34 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in 40 games (26 starts).
If Oviedo scuffles, the Pirates could call up either RHP Luis Ortiz or RHP Quinn Priester from Triple-A Indianapolis. RHP Mike Burrows would have been a candidate for a call-up, but he last week went on the injured list at Indy due to a sprained elbow.
“First and foremost, we look internally,” general manager Ben Cherington said. “Last April, I certainly wasn’t anticipating Luis Ortiz making starts in the big leagues for us. He eventually did. That means there could be another guy who we’re not thinking about right now who has a chance to emerge. There really is that opportunity. We’ll do whatever we can to help guys take the next step. Someone will take the next step, step up and fill some of that hole that’s been created.”
Backstory
Brubaker was a sixth-round pick in 2015 out of the University of Akron. He made his big league debut in July 2020. Over three seasons, he’s 9-28 with a 4.99 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP and averages 9.2 K/9. He was arbitration-eligible for the first time this past offseason and signed a $2.275 million contract.
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(Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck / USA Today)
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