Three Takeaways: JT Brubaker Might Still Prove Former GM Right (+)
PITTSBURGH — Neal Huntington took a beating from the media and fans in his last few years as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ general manager.
Some of it was fair and some of it was not.
The Pirates certainly went into a decline after making three straight appearances in the National League wild card game from 2013-15. Bad personnel decisions by Huntington played a role in that.
However, he also took over a reeling baseball operations department late in the 2007 season and turned the Pirates into winners.
And Huntington might turn out to be right about current Pirates right-hander JT Brubaker.
Brubaker was the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2018. That was three years after he was drafted by the Pirates from the University of Akron in the sixth round and a year before Huntington was fired.
“I don’t think a lot of people give him the credit he deserves,” Huntington told me late in the 2018 season. “He never makes any of the top prospect lists. But Jonathan Brubaker is going to be a good major league pitcher.”
Brubaker has been a below-average MLB pitcher to date. He has a career record of 9-26 with a 4.81 ERA in 58 games, including 56 starts over three seasons.
Brubaker is no longer a youngster at 28. Yet he showed Thursday night in the Pirates’ 8-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox at PNC Park that snapped their six-game losing streak why he might still have upside.
Brubaker was dazzling as he pitched seven scoreless innings and allowed just two singles. He also issued no walks while striking out seven.
It would not be the stretch to say it was the best start Brubaker has made in the big leagues. He mowed down a lineup that included All-Stars Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez.
“It’s got to be close to the top,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “The fastball execution there was elite. Being able to run the two-seamer back in on the left-handers and then bringing it back with the right-handers, he was in total control the whole time. He had a really good tempo to him, went right after guys, got some early-count swings. Overall, really threw the ball well.”
Brubaker worked with a quicker tempo than usual right from the start. He struck out Tommy Pham and Devers to start the game then got Bogaerts on a comebacker to finish a 1-2-3 first inning.
Brubaker never stopped rolling.
“It’s a lot easier when you get it from pitch one to continue it through the game, than trying to find it later in the game,” Brubaker said.
Brubaker had it going all night in an 84-pitch effort. He likely would have pitched at least one more inning if he didn’t develop a small blister on his pitching hand. Being cautious, Shelton pulled Brubaker after the seventh.
Somewhere, Huntington had to be smiling.
REYNOLDS IS ROLLING
Brubaker got backed by plenty of run support. Center fielder Bryan Reynolds led the way by going 3 for 4 with a pair of two-run home runs.
As bad as the Pirates’ offense has been in recent weeks, it is scary to think how awful the lineup would be if Reynolds has been dealt at the MLB trade deadline Aug. 2.
Since the deadline passed, Reynolds has hit .339 in 16 games. He also has five home runs and three doubles. Four of the longballs have come in the last four games.
True to his low-key nature, Reynolds didn’t have a very elaborate explanation for his recent power surge.
“They come in bunches, and I guess we’re in a bunch right now,” Reynolds said.
There you have it.
THOMPSON’S DIFFERENT ROLE
It was a bit of a surprise when Zach Thompson came on to pitch the eighth inning for the Pirates. The lanky right-hander had made 16 consecutive starts since his lone relief appearance of the season May 4 in a doubleheader against the Tigers in Detroit.
Shelton said he may use Thompson in a “hybrid role” for the remainder of the season. Thompson could make spot starts and pitch in a variety of relief roles.
Thompson has had his moments as a starter in his first season after being acquired from the Miami Marlins in the trade for Gold Glove catcher Jacob Stallings.
Yet he has pitched as many as six innings just twice in 20 starts. It is an indicator he might be better served being used in shorter stints out of the bullpen.