MLB announced Rookie of the Year status changes on Monday for the 2020 season, which affects one of the players on the Pittsburgh Pirates. Prior to today’s announcement, JT Brubaker was still eligible for the Rookie of the Year award next year because he didn’t reach either of the two standards set for rookie pitchers, either 50 innings or 45 days in the majors prior to September 1st.
They decided on Sunday that they are doing away with the September 1st rule, so for this season only, it’s a straight 45 days on the active roster. Brubaker finished with 47.1 innings, but he was on the roster for the entire 2020 season, so once you add in the September days, it disqualifies him from the Rookie of the Year award next year.
Ke’Bryan Hayes debuted on September 1st and he fell well short of the maximum at-bats allowed (130), so the rule change doesn’t affect him.
