The New York Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates have represented the haves and the have nots of baseball for many seasons. However, while the Pirates don't seem to be in the Yankees class, they had a pitcher that interested the Bronx Bombers and they acquired him in a trade on the second day of the regular season.

The Pirates have sent right-handed pitcher JT Brubaker to New York as well as international signing bonus money in exchange for a player to be named later. Brubaker has three years of Major League experience with the Pirates, but he has not pitched since the 2022 season. He had Tommy John surgery last April and he is on the 60-day injured list.

He has recently started throwing again from a mound, and he is hoping to return to action some time around the All-Star break.

Brubaker's track record with the Pirates has not been overly impressive in terms of wins and losses. After a 1-3 record in 11 games in 2020, he was 5-13 in 24 starts for the Pirates in 2021. He continued to struggle in 2022 with a 3-12 record.

However, despite the record, Brubaker was able to pitch 124.1 innings in 2022 and 144.0 innings the following year.

He has a career earned run average of 4.99 but he has shown he can throw hard. Brubaker has struck out 324 batters in 315.1 innings.

Yankees are optimistic about Brubaker

New York manager Aaron Boone is hopeful that his team can challenge the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East this year. A spring training injury to ace pitcher Gerrit Cole — another former Pirate — has hurt the New York starting rotation. Boone is hopeful that Brubaker can add to the Yankees rotation once he is healthy.

“I know he did some decent things as a starter in '21 and '22 with the Pirates,” Boone said. “I know we like his arm.”

The Yankees are capable of putting an impressive offensive lineup on the field. They are hoping that slugger Aaron Judge can stay healthy for a full season and hit 40 home runs or more this season. He is joined by Gleyber Torres, Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton.

However, the difference maker could be Juan Soto, who was acquired in the offseason from the San Diego Padres. If he can play at a peak level, the Yankees could be one of the stronger offensive teams in the American League.

Pirates appear to have an improved team

The Pirates have struggled in recent years, and they have not been to the National League playoffs since the 2015 season when they were eliminated in the Wild Card Game.

They have had seven losing seasons in the past eight years, but the presence of star shortstop Oneil Cruz and 3rd baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes could give Pittsburgh a chance to climb the ladder in the National League Central.

The Pirates also have the Major Leagues' top pitching prospect in the right-hander Paul Skenes, who is starting the season in Indianapolis.

The imposing 6-6, 235-pound pitcher with a fastball that exceed 100 miles per hour could get the call to come to the Major Leagues fairly early in the year.