September is winding down, and it's clear that the Detroit Tigers' roster isn't the same as it was on Opening Day. Unpredictable performances have led to the Tigers cutting ties with several players throughout the calendar, and that list includes right-handed reliever John Brebbia, who was signed in the offseason before getting designated for assignment in June.
Brebbia's journey took him to the Atlanta Braves shortly after that, but that stint only lasted until he was DFA'd on Monday. It wouldn't have been surprising if it took another team some time before rolling the dice on the struggling hurler, but that isn't the case, as NESN's Tom Caron is reporting that the Boston Red Sox have signed Brebbia to a new contract (h/t @BOSSportsGordo).
Ex-Tigers RHP John Brebbia Signs with Red Sox After Braves DFA
It isn't a surprise to see that Brebbia is joining the Red Sox, who are one of the Tigers' biggest threats in the American League landscape. Some of the veteran hurler's best performances came between 2020 and 2023 when he was under ex-San Francisco Giants pitching coach Andrew Bailey, who has held the same position in Boston since last year.
In other words, Brebbia is likely banking on a reunion being the key to helping him turn back the clock.
Tigers fans won't blame Brebbia for trying anything it takes to rediscover his groove, especially after he's stunk up the joint in the Motor City and A-Town. The former Elon University pitcher tallied a 7.71 ERA in 19 relief appearances with the Tigers before pitching to the same ERA in three outings with the Braves. His allowing 10.8 hits and 4.6 walks per nine innings are the biggest reasons why he's failed to stick; however, his 10.0 strikeouts per nine have left the Red Sox comfortable to take the risk.
The Tigers are visiting Fenway Park for their final regular-season series later this month, and it'll be interesting to see if Brebbia will have pitched well enough to be in the mix then. History has proven he'll likely be kicked to the curb before then, but one can never say never in professional sports.
Perhaps reuniting with his old pitching coach will be enough to get him back on track, proving why the Tigers and Braves believed in him in the first place.