Late on Tuesday September 23, 2025, San Francisco Giants insiders reported JT Brubaker will be the starting pitcher for the Giants in their series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday September 24, 2025.
Brubaker, 31, was signed to a minor league deal by the Giants in August after being designated for assignment by the New York Yankees.
Getting to start an MLB game in 2025 is a very significant personal milestone for Brubaker. As a young pitcher, he was a mainstay in the Pittsburgh Pirates rotation.
But he missed significant time on the mound from 2023-2025 due to both Tommy John surgery and fractured ribs. The 2025 season has marked his MLB comeback, first with the Yankees and now with the Giants. But all 16 of his big league appearances this season have come out of the bullpen.
4.0 IP | 1 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 3 K 48 pitches (30 strikes)
This will be Brubaker’s first start since 2022, a significant moment in the rehabilitation of his career. With a good start, perhaps he can convince the Giants or another team to give him a chance to crack their starting rotation next season. He is still only 31 years old and should have plenty left in the tank as a pitcher.
Brubaker did throw 2.1 innings in relief just a few days ago on September 20, 2025 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, so Giants fans probably can’t expect a complete game out of him. But he’s a seasoned vet, so there’s no reason to think he can’t eat up five innings if he’s pitching well.
Behind Brubaker, Carson Seymour could likely come on in relief and pitch multiple innings if needed.
Robbie Ray’s Season Is Over
JT Brubaker is taking Robbie Ray’s scheduled start in the rotation. With the Giants eliminated from playoff contention as of Tuesday September 24, 2025 with their loss to the Cardinals, the Giants opted not to use Ray. His season is likely over.
It was an incredible, bounce-back, All-Star season for Robbie Ray. After missing most of the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to Tommy John surgery, Giants fans should be thrilled that Ray looked like an ace again.
On the season, Ray amassed an 11-8 record with a 3.65 ERA and 186 strikeouts in 182 innings.
He’s going to continue to anchor the Giants’ rotation moving forward, as the Giants have him under contract for the 2026 season as well.
Giants fans can likely expect an even stronger season from the two-time All-Star and 2021 Cy Young award winner as he gets another season to rehabilitate his arm strength and stamina after Tommy John.
Who Will Start The Final Three Games?
After Brubaker starts and the Giants finish up their series against the Cardinals, they have one final series to close out the season against the Colorado Rockies.
They have yet to announce any of their starters for that series, but insider reports give Giants fans a clue as to who they can see take the mound a final time before the season wraps up.
Giants insider Alex Pavlovich reported that Justin Verlander and Logan Webb are planning to pitch against the Rockies.
If that’s the case, then Verlander will pitch the penultimate game against the Rockies on Saturday September 27, 2025 and Webb will pitch the final game on Sunday September 28.
Verlander’s potential outing against the Rockies could be his last in a Giants uniform. He said he plans to pitch again next season after a strong second half, but his contract with the Giants is up, and there’s no guarantee that he will resign with San Francisco.
Webb on the other hand currently leads the MLB in innings pitched with 201.2 and the National League in strikeouts with 216.
He will look to stay the league leader in both categories with one final start under his belt.
If those two start as planned, that leaves only one game, the Friday night tilt, with an undetermined starter.
In all likelihood, Trevor McDonald will take the mound for San Francisco. He had a great outing on September 21 against the Dodgers, and he has likely earned one more start in 2025 and a longer look in the rotation for 2026.
Giants fans, what are you rooting for in these final three games now that the Giants are eliminated from playoff contention?
San Francisco Giants Pitcher To Continue Comeback Story With First Start Since 2022