Red Sox Sign Twice DFA'd Pitcher With 7.71 ERA

The Boston Red Sox have turned to a hometown kid to bring in a little pitching depth for the organization. After only a couple of days on the free agent market, right-hander John Brebbia, Boston-born, has agreed to a minor league deal with the BoSox. He has a 7.71 ERA this season across two stops.

John Brebbia has signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox, according to @TomCaron. pic.twitter.com/kA2XO0xCWC
— Jamie Gatlin (@JamieGatlin17) September 12, 2025

Brebbia came into 2025 sporting a career 3.80 ERA as a fine reliever. He signed a one-year, $2.75M free agent deal with the Detroit Tigers, but after accumulating a 7.71 ERA in 19 games in Motown, he was DFA'd and released in June.

Not long after, he signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves, where he got into just three games at the major league level, posting an identical 7.71 ERA, and was DFA'd once again this past week.

Brebbia, 35, still owns a nice 9.8 to 2.9 strikeout to walk ratio over his eight seasons in the majors. He spent the first three seasons of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals, with an impressive 3.14 ERA and 10.2 K/9. He then another three years with the San Francisco Giants, posting a 3.83 ERA.

The move won't cost the Red Sox much, as Detroit is picking up the tab on the rest of his regular contract, while all Boston has to do is pay him the pro-rated amount of the major league minimum. Brebbia won't, however, be eligile for the postseason, as his signing comes after the Aug. 31 deadline.