When the Pittsburgh Pirates take the field Thursday for the first time in 2022, JT Brubaker will head to the pitcher’s mound, manager Derek Shelton announced in a Sunday press conference.
The Pirates were one of the last teams to announce its Opening Day starter, but opt to go with Brubaker for his first Opening Day start of his career.
Brubaker, 28, went 5-13 last season with a 5.36 ERA and 129 strikeouts.
He won the starting job over the likes of Mitch Keller, who has impressed this Spring Training, and Jose Quintana, whom the team signed over the offseason.