The Detroit Tigers extended their record to 37-20, the best in the league, on Wednesday after defeating the San Francisco Giants 4-3. Tigers manager AJ Hinch has done everything he can to position his club at the top of their division, even without Parker Meadows thus far this season. Among the numerous successful moves is the relocation of Javier Baez to the Detroit outfield.
When it comes to dominating both today and in the future, the Tigers have achieved a superb balance. Among the young players on their roster are Spencer Torkelson, Tarik Skubal, and others. They will have an abundance of competent bats once Meadows returns off the disabled list, so Hinch will have to reevaluate his lineup in an effort to accommodate everyone.
Detroit’s rotation on the mound is comfortable; Skubal is among the leaders in the American League Cy Young Award race, and all four of his starters have performed well this season. Their bullpen has also performed well behind Will Vest, but there is one weak point: John Brebbia, who is 34 years old and not as good as his fellow relievers.
Hinch expects every one of his pitchers to be able to come out of the bullpen and deliver when needed once the postseason rolls around. As the Tigers get their team ready for the postseason, Brebbia’s ERA of 5.52 may force him out of Detroit.
If the Tigers decide to let Brebbia go later this summer, these are his three potential destinations.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays have improved from the previous season. Toronto is in a position to challenge the Yankees in the AL East thanks to manager John Schneider. The Blue Jays’ next objective is to get Max Scherzer back on the mound. But throughout the season, their bullpen has suffered from injuries. The club is in need of additional relievers because Nick Sandlin and Yimi Garcia are on the injured list.
The Toronto Blue Jays have improved from the previous season. Toronto is in a position to challenge the Yankees in the AL East thanks to manager John Schneider. The Blue Jays’ next objective is to get Max Scherzer back on the mound. But throughout the season, their bullpen has suffered from injuries. The club is in need of additional relievers because Nick Sandlin and Yimi Garcia are on the injured list.
In Toronto, he would be more valuable, and Schneider would probably use him more effectively than Hinch. The Blue Jays might pursue Nathan Lukes and other outfield insurance in a rare win-win transaction.
New York Mets
One of the top clubs in the National League is the New York Mets. They still haven’t overtaken the Philadelphia Phillies in the standings, though. Fans are questioning the Mets’ chances of winning because of problems with Juan Soto’s effort. But like Schneider, Carlos Mendoza’s main issue is that his bullpen isn’t good enough to continue without getting better this summer.
In front of Edwin Diaz, Reed Garrett has become the main setup man. Fans should be concerned about the pitchers behind them on the depth chart, though. Brebbia has tossed less innings than nearly every reliever in New York, yet his ERA is greater than theirs. Mendoza may use Brebbia as a weapon out of the bullpen when things get tight if he is given more innings to reduce it.
A guy like Luis Torrens is not completely out of the question in terms of what Detroit may obtain in the transaction. Francisco Alvarez is seldom replaced by Mendoza’s backup catcher, who may be a crucial component of their trade deadline strategies.
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres would be more well-known if they played in any other National League division. The Padres trail the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West despite their impressive start to the season. Since their defense and offense are so strong, their pitching is the one thing that really calls into doubt their legitimacy as a contender.
Despite Michael King missing his most recent start due to an injury, San Diego’s starters have flourished. However, their collection of relievers is not as deep as Mike Shildt would like. Despite hitting Connor Norby during Wednesday’s Padres game, Jason Adam is a competent setup man, while Robert Suarez is among the league’s finest closers. It becomes wobbly behind them.
Brebbia may be the component that lifts San Diego over the hill, as they are positioned to win the title this year. The Padres are determined to defeat Los Angeles, a squad that is always lagging behind. Brebbia’s pitching provides Shildt with another righty to bring out of the bullpen to get crucial outs in the closing moments of close games, but doing so calls for a whole team effort.
