TAMPA, Fla. — During a spring training outing on Friday, JT Brubaker, a pitcher for the New York Yankees, exited the game after being hit in the lower back by a line drive.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone reported post-game that Brubaker experienced discomfort after “tweaking his side” while attempting to evade the oncoming ball.

The incident occurred when Kameron Misner led off the fifth inning for the Tampa Bay Rays, connecting with a slider that clocked in at 85.8 mph. As Brubaker turned to avoid the line drive, which had an exit velocity of 74.7 mph, he was struck. He went down to a knee and sat momentarily on the mound before he managed to walk off the field without assistance.

Brubaker entered spring training without any health issues, especially notable given that he missed the last two major league seasons due to Tommy John surgery followed by an oblique injury. Last year, he participated in eight rehab assignments within the Yankees’ minor league system, posting an impressive 2.70 ERA across 16 2/3 innings.

The Yankees brought Brubaker on board from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the beginning of the 2024 season, even while he was on the 60-day injured list due to his ongoing recovery from elbow surgery.

In the 2022 season, Brubaker served as Pittsburgh’s opening-day starter. He finished that season with a disappointing 3-12 record and a 4.69 ERA, despite setting personal bests with 28 starts, 144 innings pitched, and 147 strikeouts.