Yankees Release Pitcher Just Before Crucial Astros Showdown
The New York Yankees made another roster adjustment Thursday, releasing right-handed pitcher JT Brubaker ahead of their weekend series against the Houston Astros. The move follows his designation for assignment earlier in the week and reflects the club’s push to steady a bullpen that has faltered during a shaky start to August.
Brubaker, 31, departs after a short but respectable run in New York. In 12 relief outings this season, he worked 16 innings with a 3.38 ERA and 1.19 WHIP—his most efficient stretch since debuting with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2020. Yet, his underlying numbers told a less encouraging story: a strikeout rate of 15.9% and a walk rate of 14.3%, both well below league norms. His 44.2% ground ball rate hinted at an ability to induce key outs, but not enough to mask control issues.
A sixth-round draft pick by Pittsburgh in 2015, Brubaker earned a rotation spot before undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2023. The Yankees traded for him in March 2024, sending infield prospect Keiner Delgado to the Pirates and acquiring international bonus pool space. It was a calculated risk on a pitcher who showed early promise despite a career 4.91 ERA over 331.2 innings.
But the Yankees’ broader struggles have magnified the need for change. Since the trade deadline, the team has lost five of six games, including the first sweep in franchise history by the Miami Marlins and a series loss to the Texas Rangers. Offseason bullpen prize Devin Williams has stumbled to a 5.44 ERA, while Luke Weaver remains unsteady after returning from a hamstring injury.
As they prepare for a pivotal showdown with the Astros, the Yankees hope Brubaker’s roster spot can be filled by an arm capable of delivering immediate impact. But unless the revamped bullpen turns close contests into victories, their playoff hopes may be slipping out of reach.
