SEPTEMBER ROSTER UPGRADE: Braves Add Eminent Reliever And Veteran Outfielder To Active Roster
With September roster expansion approaching, the Braves threw everyone off with their pitcher call-up:
Let’s start with John Brebbia—did you even know he was part of the organization? I didn’t, and his signing doesn’t show up on the Braves’ official transaction page. He was only released by the White Sox three days ago, and hasn’t played a game with Gwinnett since.
Brebbia, a 34-year-old veteran with seven MLB seasons under his belt, has pitched for the Cardinals, Giants, and White Sox. He had a standout relief season with the Giants in 2019 and performed well as an occasional opener in 2022-2023, but he only managed 0.2 fWAR in 48 2/3 innings with the White Sox this year.
Throughout his career, Brebbia has posted an intriguing 94/88/103 line—he’s a fly ball pitcher who relies on inducing weak contact, often keeping his HR/FB rate low. However, this year, the numbers flipped on him (153/103/95), leading to his release before the end of his $5.5 million contract. (It raises the question of why the White Sox spend so much on relievers, which might explain their struggles.)
Brebbia is an odd choice, and if you look closely, it suggests something you probably already suspected about the Braves’ mindset this season—he’s not exactly a high-leverage option at this point. Instead, the Braves seem to be opting for “an extra arm to keep the others rested” rather than pursuing someone with more upside. Daysbel Hernandez hasn’t performed well in Triple-A, but the Braves have already called him up several times, and he seemed like a candidate for this spot given his arsenal and raw talent. The Braves don’t need another Luke Jackson or Jesse Chavez in the bullpen, as they already have two of those—and honestly, that’s kind of how they use Grant Holmes too. Now they have four right-handed long relief guys in a nine-man bullpen, which feels excessive.
The other move is more straightforward: Eli White is fast, can hit the ball hard, fields well, performed well at Gwinnett (122 wRC+), and has been up and down with the Braves this season. He gives the team another pinch-running/defensive replacement option so they don’t always have to rely on Adam Duvall and Jarred Kelenic in those roles.
The #Braves today selected the contract of RHP John Brebbia and recalled OF Eli White to Atlanta. To make room on the 40-man roster, Atlanta designated LHP Zach Logue for assignment.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 1, 2024