Monday is a day off for the Detroit Tigers after closing the weekend with back-to-back losses to the Cincinnati Reds. While losing consecutive games isn't ideal, it's a minor hiccup A.J. Hinch's club can overcome, especially considering how the Tigers still own an MLB-best 46-27 record to begin the new week.
It's only the middle of June, meaning the Tigers have plenty of time to regain momentum before the 2025 MLB All-Star festivities. This year's trade deadline will then happen a few weeks after that, opening the door for Detroit to further establish itself as a World Series contender by adding a key bat, arm, or glove.
Bringing in new players means the Tigers will have to trade away others to create roster space. Detroit already started to cut its excess fat over the weekend by kicking an underperforming hurler to the curb.
Tigers DFA RHP John Brebbia on Sunday
Most Tigers have lived up to and exceeded expectations throughout the 2025 campaign. One who hasn't, though, is veteran relief pitcher John Brebbia. The 35-year-old right-handed hurler has struggled with consistency this season, and his performance has only worsened as time passed, leading to Detroit finally having enough over the weekend.
On Sunday, the Tigers announced that they have designated Brebbia for assignment, according to CBS Sports. He can elect for free agency in a week if he isn't traded or goes unclaimed on waivers.
After stints in St. Louis, San Francisco, Chicago, and Atlanta, Brebbia joined Detroit on a one-year, $2.75 million contract in February. He impressively pitched to a 2.70 ERA with nine strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings with the Braves in 2024, and the Tigers were hoping he could replicate those results on a larger scale with them.
Brebbia's first month in Detroit went off without a hitch, as he went 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA in his first eight relief appearances. Unfortunately, that's where things end.
Since returning from a triceps injury in mid-May, Brebbia owned a horrendous 13.97 ERA in his last 11 outings. He allowed three homers and 15 earned runs across only 9 2/3 innings during that stretch. The final straw came when he allowed six earned runs in only 1 2/3 innings of work in back-to-back outings against the Reds on Friday and Saturday.
With his 2024 performance looking more like an anomaly than ever before, it'll be interesting to see if Brebbia can turn things around before the season ends. A potential turnaround won't happen with the Tigers, though, as they've seen enough to move on from the offseason signing before June is over.