John Brebbia is officially out in Detroit. The Tigers released the veteran right-hander after designating him for assignment on June 15, making him a free agent.
The 35-year-old reliever signed a one-year, $2.75 million deal with Detroit this past offseason, but things never clicked after an early injury derailed his season.
According to Evan Woodberry of MLive.com, the Tigers are still on the hook for Brebbia’s remaining salary, though any money will be prorated to the league minimum if he catches on elsewhere.
Brebbia looked solid early on, posting a 1.00 ERA through his first nine innings. But a tricep strain landed him on the IL in late April, and he couldn’t find his groove after returning.
The numbers tell the story. In 11 appearances since coming back, Brebbia struggled to a 13.97 ERA. Control issues plagued him throughout.
“He is a better pitcher than he showed,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said, per Woodberry. “I think at the end of the day, for him to contribute like he should, he’s got to be in the strike zone more. I thought he sprayed the ball a lot and couldn’t quite get his feel for his pitches. When he did get in the zone, it was damage. So it just didn’t work out.”
Brebbia brings experience from stops with the Cardinals, Giants, White Sox, and Braves. At 35, he’s likely looking at proving himself somewhere new on a minor league deal or incentive-laden contract.
The move comes as Detroit endures a three-game losing streak, though they’re still sitting pretty with baseball’s best record at 48-30. That’s an 8.5-game cushion in the AL Central.
From where I’m sitting, this feels like addition by subtraction for a Tigers bullpen that needs reliable arms down the stretch. Sometimes these veteran signings just don’t work out, even when everyone has the best intentions.
