OnlyBucs

Yep, for the infamous player to be named later

Brubaker is a FA after the 2025 season. He won't contribute much this year and they would normally trade him before or during the 2025 season. He wasn't very effective before the TJ surgery and they don't know how he'll be afterwards. He can't have much trade value but it will only decrease as he gets closer to walking as a FA. I guess they just wanted to get whatever they could for him now.

This seems to be making a trade based upon their future strength, but only if the youngsters in the high minors have success. Right now, the rotation is thin. But with Jones, and a handful of guys coming soon, led by Skenes, the future rotation looks to be a strength. Brubaker was an odd man out.

2.275 million last year and this year. He still has more rehab to do. He did give them an increase in IP from 2021 to 2022, 124.1 to 144. I know it's been a while since we all saw him pitch, but I feel many of us saw him improving, and were hopeful for further improvement before it was announced he'd have TJ surgery. He looked like he was going to at least be a guy we could rely on to eat a lot of innings, and rotation depth.

I suspect that's how he'll be viewed with the Yankees. I also wonder if the PTBNL comes as a conditional thing, as in, if he pitches X amount of innings, the Pirates select from a pool of players based upon X.

I'd also like to know what prompted the move. I can't but help think, moving that salary to the Yankees, who will paying almost all it would appear, nearly matches the salary of Rowdy Tellez, who is making 3.2 million.

Doc wrote: ↑Fri Mar 29, 2024 10:27 pm This seems to be making a trade based upon their future strength, but only if the youngsters in the high minors have success. Right now, the rotation is thin. But with Jones, and a handful of guys coming soon, led by Skenes, the future rotation looks to be a strength. Brubaker was an odd man out.

Nah, I would have kept him at least as a fall back plan to the fall back plan. We're not that far removed from having one (!) real starting pitcher at the end of last year.

NY also gets $550,000 in international bonus pool money from the Pirates.

https://twitter.com/francysromeroFR/sta ... 0989415612

3pirates3 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 30, 2024 3:07 am NY also gets $550,000 in international bonus pool money from the Pirates.

https://twitter.com/francysromeroFR/sta ... 0989415612

Yeah I don't get it. It's not like he was taking up roster space.

SammyKhalifa wrote: ↑Sat Mar 30, 2024 2:50 am

Doc wrote: ↑Fri Mar 29, 2024 10:27 pm This seems to be making a trade based upon their future strength, but only if the youngsters in the high minors have success. Right now, the rotation is thin. But with Jones, and a handful of guys coming soon, led by Skenes, the future rotation looks to be a strength. Brubaker was an odd man out.

Nah, I would have kept him at least as a fall back plan to the fall back plan. We're not that far removed from having one (!) real starting pitcher at the end of last year.

The Pirates have specialized in having fall back plans for their fall back plans.

I don't disagree with the decision to trade Brubaker. He has been a poor pitcher. In 3 seasons, he's gone:

1-3, 4.94 ERA
5-13 5.36 ERA
3-12 4.69 ERA

Pitchers like that grow on trees. He's out at least half of this season and who knows how he'll do coming off TJ surgery? At most, he's an innings-eater, defined as able to pitch a lot of innings poorly. Financially, his rather dubious services cost 2.75 million this year, he can go to arbitration next year for more money and is a free agent after next year. And the Pirates have better arms in the minors. There just was no reason to keep him. But it shows the difference between the Pirates and the Yankees. They're willing to take a flyer on Brubaker. The 2.75 million means nothing to them. The PTBNL is most likely conditional based on what, if anything, Brubaker can achieve for NY. If the Yankees think he's worth holding onto for 2025, they aren't scared of arbitration. And if he somehow impresses them enough to keep after 2025, they'll pay him as a free agent. The Yankees have nothing to lose by seeing if Brubaker can become an adequate pitcher. It's only money.