Rockies Made the Right Call on John Brebbia the First Time

Even though everyone knows the Colorado Rockies are not a contender, and even though everyone completely understands that they may have yet another 100-plus losing season, there is still reason to question things.

John Brebbia. This is a questionable decision at the very least.

Brebbia arrived in spring training as a non-roster invitee. The team evaluated him by watching him appear in seven games. He only pitched 9.0 innings in those games, but it was enough to earn a 7.0 ERA.

Colorado didn’t love what it saw and decided to release the 36-year-old veteran before Opening Day.

Three months later, he’s back.

The Minnesota Twins gave him a try briefly and then also released him. In May, he signed a minor league contract with the Rockies again, and on June 21, the team selected his contract and brought him up.

This was not a joyous reunion.

The Results Haven’t Changed

John Brebbia | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Through three appearances after being called up, Brebbia now owns a 10.38 ERA.

Sure, one can argue that is a very small sample size, but let’s go back a bit in history.

Brebbia has enjoyed a lengthy major league career. So far he has appeared in 379 games across nine seasons. During his best seasons he was a dependable late-inning reliever for the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants.

The glory days appear to be behind him, though.

In the 2024 campaign, he posted a 5.86 ERA over 59 appearances and then followed that up with a 7.71 ERA across 22 games in 2025.

His stat line in Colorado is just continuing a trend, it’s not new and it’s not bad luck.

Colorado Needs to Be Looking Ahead

TJ Shook | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Don’t stretch too far and place all the blame on Brebbia for the Rockies struggles, but it is time to be honest.

Brebbia’s latest outing was a disaster. He went 1.1 innings against the Miami Marlins on June 31, allowing five hits and five earned runs, including two home runs.

Colorado isn’t a contender. So, it is time to maximize opportunities for rebuilding not place hope in a struggling veteran.

There’s no postseason berth coming to Denver. It’s is time to work on the future and stop wasting innings.

There are younger options available who deserve a chance to compete, or at least be evaluated at the major league level.

Right-hander TJ Shook immediately comes to mind. The 28-year-old right-hander was promoted on June 1 and appeared in three games only to be demoted again on June 7.

In those appearances, he pitched 3.2 innings to post a 4.91 ERA, allowing four hits and two home runs against three strikeouts.

Once again, a very small sample size but if we compare to the damage Brebbia is doing, Shook looks like a good reliever option.

For a club that is rebuilding, it’s time to identify some pieces of the future and trust the decision they already made in March.

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