Yankees Nearing Tough Decision on Injured Pitcher After Red Sox Series

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Zach Kaplan | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 4:51 PM ET

Yankees slugger and postseason hero Giancarlo Stanton is set to make his 2025 season debut on Monday against the Los Angeles Angels after suffering dual elbow tendinitis during the offseason.

Stanton's return will be a big boost to a Yankees lineup that mustered only four runs and four extra-base hits in a three-game sweep by the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

The Yankees finished 3-for-18 with runners in scoring position, and despite Aaron Judge's electrifying solo home run in the clutch Friday, the Yankees couldn't muster any offense.

On the other side of the ball, however, the Yankees are ready for a former under-the-radar signing to step up in the Bronx.

NJ.com's Brendan Kuty noted that former Pirates reliever J.T. Brubaker has a locker in Yankee Stadium ahead of tonight's game.

JT Brubaker has a locker at Yankee Stadium. All he knows is he was told to come here for a throw day today. There hasn't been a roster move related to him.

Said his rehab has been going well. The #Yankees will have to make a decision on him eventually, as he's out of options.
— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) June 16, 2025

The tough decision for the Yankees is that Brubaker, who has a 2.95 ERA in six rehab starts, is out of minor league options. Brubaker's last start saw him throw five no-hit innings on June 13 for Scranton against the Mets' Triple-A affiliate.

Brubaker was traded to the Yankees in March 2024 as he was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery performed in April 2023. His Yankees debut, which was expected to come in late 2024, was sidelined by an oblique injury.

The hits kept coming, as Brubaker, who was expected to be healthy to begin the 2025 campaign, went down with a rib fracture in a February 21 Grapefruit League game.

With Ryan Yarbrough showing surprise production, would the Yankees be interested in adding Brubaker as the fifth starter and sending Yarbrough back to the bullpen?

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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