The Detroit Tigers have been in contention in the American League all season long, and they’ve done so despite several misses by the front office. The Tigers will never see Alex Cobb pitch in a game for them after receiving a one-year, $15 million contract last winter, and the brain trust led by Scott Harris made several underwhelming moves at the trade deadline, including the acquisitions of ineffective starters Chris Paddack and Charlie Morton and now-injured bullpen arm Kyle Finnegan.
While all of these misses remain on the Tigers’ roster, there’s another move that couldn’t make it to the end of the year. Right-hander John Brebbia was signed to a one-year, $2.25 million contract in February but was released in June. After landing with the Atlanta Braves, Brebbia is a free agent again after being designated for assignment on Monday and may have to face the music as he looks for a new team.
Ex-Tiger John Brebbia’s Future is Uncertain After Being DFA’d for Second Time in 2025
The Braves announced the decision to cut ties with Brebbia on Monday afternoon after claiming Alexis Diaz off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Brebbia didn’t make the decision easier by allowing four earned runs and two homers to go with a walk and six strikeouts over 4.2 innings (three appearances) with the Braves. But it also represented a pattern that has kept the veteran from finding a permanent home.
Brebbia came to Detroit thanks to his previous relationship with President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris during his time with the San Francisco Giants. Harris was the general manager in San Francisco during the 2022 season, and Brebbia just happened to make that the best season of his career, going 6-2 with a 3.18 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 54 strikeouts in 68 innings (76 appearances).
Harris was hired in Detroit the following offseason, and Brebbia had a solid campaign, going 3-5 with a 3.99 ERA and 1.17 WHIP the following season. The campaign helped him land a contract with the Chicago White Sox, but after a 6.29 ERA in 20 appearances on the South Side, he was designated for assignment and signed with the Atlanta Braves.
Things went better for Brebbia during his first stint in Atlanta, as he allowed two earned runs with nine strikeouts and two walks in 6.2 innings (five appearances). He reunited with Harris the following offseason, and things started well with the Tigers, allowing one earned run with nine strikeouts and five walks in his first eight appearances (9.0 innings). But after going on the injured list with a right triceps strain, the wheels fell off with a 13.97 ERA in his final 11 appearances (9.2 innings) before being DFA’d on June 15.
Brebbia went back to Atlanta to find himself, but he didn’t return to the majors until Aug. 29. Even then, Baseball Savant showed a pitcher that has been tagged this year with a hard-hit rate of 45.8%, an average exit velocity of 90.1 mph and a 9.7% barrel rate.
"He’s not pitching a ton and when he gets in there, execution has been a challenge for him,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said of Brebbia after he was DFA’d in June via Christian Romo of The Detroit Free Press. “His stuff can be good, and then some days, he gets in the middle-middle area of the plate, and he gets burned.”
Set to turn 36 next May, Brebbia may not be worth the cost for other teams to bring him in. Even if they do, teams may look to dump him as soon as possible when a younger, cheaper option becomes available.
With Diaz turning 29 later this month, it made more sense for the Braves to try to revive his career rather than give Brebbia one final shot at glory. It could leave Brebbia accepting a minor league deal this winter and perhaps some humility as he looks for another opportunity to pitch in the show.