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After defeating the San Francisco Giants 4-3 on Wednesday, the Detroit Tigers improved their record to 37-20, the best in the league. Despite being without Parker Meadows so far this season, Tigers manager AJ Hinch has pressed all the right buttons to put his team atop their division. Moving Javier Baez to the Detroit outfield is one of many moves that have worked out well.
The Tigers have struck a great balance when it comes to being dominant both now and in the future. Their roster features young talent across the field, including Tarik Skubal, Spencer Torkelson, and others. Once they get Meadows back from the injured list, they will have a surplus of capable batters, forcing Hinch to reconsider his lineup as he tries to make space for everyone.
On the mound, Detroit is comfortable with their rotation. Skubal is one of the leaders for the American League Cy Young award. All four of the starters behind him have done well so far this season. Their bullpen has also been good behind Will Vest, but there is one sore spot. John Brebbia is 34 years old and is not on the same level as his fellow relievers.
Once the playoffs come around, Hinch needs all of his pitchers to be able to come out of the bullpen and produce when called upon. Brebbia's ERA sits at 5.52, a number that could send him out of Detroit as the Tigers prepare their roster for the postseason.
Here are three destinations for Brebbia if the Tigers decide to move on from him later this summer.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are better than they were last year. Manager John Schneider has Toronto in a place where they can make a push in the AL East behind the Yankees. Getting Max Scherzer back on the mound is the next goal for the Blue Jays. However, their bullpen has struggled with injuries all season. Nick Sandlin and Yimi Garcia are on the IL, leaving the team wanting for some more relievers.
Brebbia has only pitched 14.2 innings in 2025, a low number for a veteran reliever. Hinch simply has better arms to turn to in his bullpen, making Brebbia more of a situational player than anything else. The 34-year-old has only pitched in the postseason once, and the Tigers are unlikely to use him as any more than a trade chip in their larger plan.
He would be valued in Toronto and Schneider is likely to make better use of him than Hinch. In a rare win-win trade, the Blue Jays could target some more insurance in their outfield, including Nathan Lukes.
New York Mets
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The New York Mets are one of the best teams in the National League. However, they have not yet caught the Philadelphia Phillies in the standings yet. Issues surrounding Juan Soto's effort have fans wondering about the Mets and their status as contenders. However, Carlos Mendoza's biggest problem the same as Schneider; his bullpen is not good enough to go without improving this summer.
Reed Garrett has emerged as the primary setup man in front of Edwin Diaz. However, the pitchers behind them on the depth chart give fans cause for concern. Brebbia's ERA is higher New York's relievers', but he has pitched less innings than almost all of them. Given more innings to lower it, Brebbia could become a weapon out of the bullpen for Mendoza to turn to in tight spots.
When it comes to what Detroit could get back in the deal, a player like Luis Torrens is not out of the question. Mendoza's backup catcher rarely plays in the place of Francisco Alvarez and could be the key part of their trade deadline plans.
San Diego Padres
If the San Diego Padres were in any other division in the National League, they would be a bigger story. The Padres' start to the season caught fans' attention but sit behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Their offense and defense are great, leaving the only real question about their credibility as contenders focused on their pitching.
San Diego's starters have thrived, even though Michael King missed his last start with an injury. Their relievers, on the other hand, are not as deep a group as Mike Shildt would like. Robert Suarez is one of the league's best closers while Jason Adam is a capable setup man, despite hitting Connor Norby during the Padres' game on Wednesday. Behind them, things get shaky.
San Diego is built to win the championship this year, and Brebbia could be the piece that gets them up over the hump. For a team perpetually stuck behind Los Angeles, the Padres have their sights set on taking them down. Doing so requires a complete team effort, and Brebbia's pitching gives Shildt another righty to call out of the bullpen to get key outs down the stretch of close games.
