Pittsburgh Pirates: Three Veterans Who Could be Traded by 2023

Right-Handed Starting Pitcher, JT Brubaker

One of the stables of the rotation over the last couple of years, JT Brubaker could be a trade candidate.  Brubaker is entering his first year of arbitration. The former Akron Zip will be a free agent after the 2025 season.  So he has there more seasons of team control.

So why trade him?  Because realistically speaking Brubaker may not be a part of this team’s window.  The Pittsburgh Pirates Front Office needs to be smart with how they allocate their limited budget.  Brubaker is projected to make around 1.5-2 million dollars this year, but obviously, that number will just continue to climb.

So should the team look to trade him being he may not be worth that future price tag for the Pittsburgh Pirates? Brubaker is coming off this best season at the Major League level, pitching to a 4.69 ERA.  While that number is not great, his FIP was below 4 suggesting he had some bad luck and should have better numbers. Brubaker struck out 23% of hitters, which is what his career mark is at.

Brubaker will not net a monster return by any means. The Bucs would likely get two top-30 organization prospects in return.  A solid return for a backend of the rotation starter.  The fact that he has been a consistent starter, will be cheaper than most free-agent options in terms of money, and is controllable for three more years, could suggest a stronger return than above.