Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox Lose 9-Year MLB Veteran Without Making An Appearance

A Boston native leaves the Sox...
Jackson Roberts|
May 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A bag of baseballs sits on the diamond before a game against between the Boston Red Sox and the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
May 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A bag of baseballs sits on the diamond before a game against between the Boston Red Sox and the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

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When telling the story of the 2025 Boston Red Sox, there are perhaps 60 other players in the organization who would come to mind before right-handed pitcher John Brebbia.

Brebbia is a Boston native who has had a nice major league career with other teams. He's pitched for five clubs in a nine-year career and owns a 4.04 career ERA in 376 appearances. But signing with his hometown team wasn't exactly a memorable homecoming.

After he was released by the Atlanta Braves in September, Brebbia signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox, who were running dangerously low on pitchers at the time due to injuries to Dustin May and Richard Fitts. But he would have been ineligible to pitch in the postseason, and as it turned out, he never made an appearance during the regular season, either.

John Brebbia elected free agency on Thursday

John Brebbia
Detroit Tigers pitcher John Brebbia (49) throws against San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After close to two months on the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox's roster, Brebbia elected free agency on Thursday, according to the transactions log on his official roster page. He was placed on the 7-day injured list only three days after signing with the Red Sox and never made a Triple-A outing, either.

Before coming to the Red Sox, Brebbia put up a 7.71 ERA in 22 appearances for the Braves and Detroit Tigers. That's back-to-back rough seasons for the 35-year-old righty, who was solid for the San Francisco Giants earlier this decade, including leading the National League in appearances in 2022.

Brebbia is just the latest Red Sox minor-leaguer to elect free agency after finishing the season off the 40-man roster, joining the likes of Nick Burdi, Abraham Toro, Ali Sánchez, Isaiah Campbell, and José De León.

Could the Red Sox re-sign Brebbia as a depth arm with an invite to spring training this year? It's not out of the question, though he would seem to be low on the priority list as the team welcomes back several injured hurlers, many of whom will compete for spots in the rotation and bullpen.

More MLB: Red Sox Given Long Odds To Lure Kyle Schwarber From Phillies In Expert Poll

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Jackson Roberts
JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Boston Red Sox On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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