Tigers sign RHP John Brebbia to one-year free agent contract with a club option for 2026
LAKELAND – The Detroit Tigers today signed right-handed pitcher John Brebbia to a one-year contract for the 2025 season, with a club option for the 2026 campaign. Brebbia will earn a base salary of $2,250,000 during the 2025 season, and $4,000,000 if his club option is exercised for 2026. There is a $500,000 buy-out if the club option is not exercised. Below is a breakdown of performance bonuses and escalators in the contract.
Performance bonuses for both 2025 and 2026 seasons:
- $250,000 for each 50, 55, 60, and 65 games pitched
- $250,000 for each 40, 45, 50, and 55 games finished
Escalators for 2026 club option (based off 2025 performance), capped at $4,000,000:
- $500,000 for 65 games pitched
- $1,000,000 for each 45 and 50 games pitched
- $2,000,000 for 55 games finished
Brebbia, 34, joins Detroit for his eighth Major League season after stops with the St. Louis Cardinals (2017-19), San Francisco Giants (2021-23), Chicago White Sox (2024), and Atlanta Braves (2024). Brebbia has gone 15-21 with four saves, 63 holds, a 3.80 ERA (355.0IP/150ER) and 388 strikeouts in 355.0 innings pitched, an average of 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings, in 354 career appearances, with all but 21 coming in relief.
The righthander spent most of 2024 with the White Sox before joining the Braves for their playoff push on August 31. Brebbia made five relief appearances for Atlanta in September, posting a 2.70 ERA (6.2IP/2ER) with nine strikeouts and just two walks.
Brebbia broke into the big leagues with the Cardinals in 2017 and turned in a 3.14 ERA (175.0IP/61ER) covering 161 relief outings in three seasons with St. Louis through 2019. After missing the entire 2020 season and much of 2021 due to Tommy John surgery, Brebbia spent 2021-23 with San Francisco and led the National League with 76 relief appearances in 2022 when he went 6-2 with a 3.18 ERA (68.0IP/24ER), his lowest ERA since his first big league campaign with St. Louis (2.44 ERA, 50 relief outings).
Born in Boston, MA, Brebbia attended Elon University (NC) from where the Yankees drafted him in the 30th round of the 2011 MLB Draft.