JT Brubaker readies for return to Pirates, with Chad Kuhl's words of advice on his mind

After nine months of recovery and rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery, JT Brubaker is finally getting the mobility to work on rediscovering his pitching motion.

At this point in the offseason, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander says he would typically be spinning the ball on flat ground and preparing to throw his first or second bullpen session.

Instead, Brubaker intended to visit Pirates Major League physical therapist Seth Steinhauer in Bradenton, Fla., for an assessment and “slight reevaluation” of his progress to create a plan for a pitching program.

“Really, in my opinion, it’s not even close to where I would be at this point leading into normal spring training, like a healthy spring training,” Brubaker said during Pirates Fest at David L. Lawrence Convention Center. “It’s a little different, but going at my own pace and feeling the arm out and going as intense as my arm is allowing you to go.”

Before Brubaker enters a spring training of unknowns, he took care of one important piece of business Jan. 10. He avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract for $2.725 million, the same salary as last season and just $75,000 less than what MLB Trade Rumors projected.

The 30-year-old Brubaker missed the entire 2023 season, which proved to be a crushing blow to the starting rotation depth. He went 3-12 with a 4.69 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in 144 innings over 28 starts in 2022, leading the Pirates with 147 strikeouts and ranking second on the staff to Mitch Keller in games started and innings pitched. Brubaker was leading the Grapefruit League in strikeouts last spring when he was shut down with the UCL injury in his right elbow before undergoing surgery in April.

“It’s a long season. When you’re playing, you realize it’s a long season,” Brubaker said. “When you’re rehabbing, it’s an even longer season. Fortunately, I was up with the big club and just learning about myself and what can I do to make it 162. The past two, three years, I’ve had little minor hiccups here and there, whether it’s the shoulder, the side, my lat and stuff. But, it’s what can I do to make 30 starts, full 162 and continue to contribute from the mound.”

One of the silver linings to Brubaker’s assorted injuries is he got a first-hand look at what is required to recover from Tommy John surgery and return to pitching in the majors in 2019, when he missed the majority of the season with right forearm soreness.

Brubaker spent much of that summer at Pirate City working alongside former Pirates pitcher Chad Kuhl. The following year, Brubaker was a rookie in the majors when Kuhl returned to the mound. After piggybacking off Steven Brault in his first two games, Kuhl had seven strikeouts without a walk and allowed one hit in four innings against the Detroit Tigers in his first start in two years.

“Not only was it emotional for him, it was a little bit emotional for me because I saw what he was going through down in Florida, the rehab process,” Brubaker said. “I was there with them. So, I was excited to see him back. He just said, ‘Hey, man, you go through all this, and when you toe that rubber, it’s another game.’ He goes, ‘It’s an emotional moment. But you got to be able to lock it in and be ready by hitter one.’”

Brubaker has been throwing three to four days a week since late September, working from 60 feet to 90 feet, then 120 and in 30-foot increments back down to 60. His goal is to return to the Pirates after the All-Star break, with fingers crossed that they are still in contention.

“That’s my hope,” Brubaker said. “That was kind of the conversation throughout the whole thing even when I wasn’t even throwing, like the six months when I wasn’t doing anything. That was still the conversation of our goal, my goal. If I’m ahead of schedule, then let’s hope that I can be back earlier. But, I think with the 30-day rehab and everything lining up right there for the All-Star break, that’ll probably be the main target date.”

When that day comes, Kuhl’s advice to toe the rubber and lock in on the game will be in Brubaker’s ear, with the memory of his former teammate’s emotional first start fresh in his mind.

“That’s my mindset: Don’t hold anything back,” Brubaker said. “So, I think that was the biggest advice is just this is you’re back doing what you were doing 16 months before. Yes, you had Tommy John, but this is something you’ve done your entire life. So, just roll with that, trust it, don’t hold anything back, don’t have any second thoughts of, ‘Are you ready? Are you not ready?’ Just go out there and throw the ball.”