Former Chicago White Sox Reliever Signs Deal with Division Rivals

John Brebbia, who had a down season in Chicago last year, has joined the Detroit Tigers on a one-year pact. Here are the contract details.

Chicago White Sox pitcher John Brebbia (59) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the seventh inning at Target Field in 2024. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Former Chicago White Sox reliever John Brebbia signed a one-year deal with the division-rival Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.

Per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press on social media:

The #Tigers have signed right-handed reliever John Brebbia to a one-year, $2.25 million contract with a $4 million club option for the 2026 season.

The #Tigers have signed right-handed reliever John Brebbia to a one-year, $2.25 million contract with a $4 million club option for the 2026 season.

— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) February 13, 2025

Brebbia, 34, went 0-6 for the White Sox in 2024, struggling just as the rest of the organization did. He pitched to a 6.29 ERA in 54 games with Chicago before ending the season in Atlanta, where he appeared in five games. For the season, he struck out 67 batters in 55.1 innings, showing that he possesses the kind of swing-and-miss stuff that teams crave in their bullpen.

By joining the Tigers, he'll join a roster that made the playoffs a season ago. Detroit used a late-season surge to make the postseason, then beat the Houston Astros in the wild card round. Though they lost to the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS, the Tigers showed they are ready to compete, and they've built upon that this offseason, signing Brebbia, Jack Flaherty and Glebyer Torres.

However, they missed out on free agent third baseman Alex Bregman, who signed a three-year with the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.

As Detroit enters camp, the biggest questions center on the fourth and fifth spots in the starting rotation following the news that Alex Cobb is likeky out for Opening Day. Furthermore, they'll be relying on some young infielders to take another step in the wake of losing out on Bregman.

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