SF Giants activate John Brebbia, release 12-year veteran outfielder

The SF Giants welcomed back reliever John Brebbia on Tuesday. To make room on the roster, Tristan Beck was optioned to Triple-A and veteran outfielder AJ Pollock was released, per the team's transaction log.

SF Giants activate John Brebbia, release 12-year veteran outfielder

Brebbia had been on the 60-day injured list after missing nearly three months with a lat strain but he should be able to help the Giants down the stretch. Given this, they needed to make a move to open up a spot on the 40-man roster as well as on the active roster.

The Giants acquired Pollock along with infielder Mark Mathias from the Seattle Mariners right before the trade deadline. I will admit that it was an odd fit then but the Giants believed more in his track record than his 2023 numbers.

The veteran bat struggled to the tune of a .547 OPS with five home runs in 138 plate appearances with Seattle. Nevertheless, he had a .791 OPS across 12 seasons, so he had been an impactful bat throughout his career.

That said, his Giants career never got off of the ground as he tallied six hitless at-bats before landing on the injured list with a hamstring strain. He was sent on a rehab assignment recently, which is even more puzzling if the Giants knew they were going to release him. Perhaps, they did not definitively know that, but it had to be one of the outcomes.

Unfortunately, Tristan Beck was sent down to Triple-A after it looked like he might have a hold on a rotation spot. The rookie pitcher has had a nice season in which he posted a 4.04 ERA, 4.04 FIP, 1.22 WHIP, 7.4 K/9, and a 3.10 SO/W ratio across 75.2 innings. Beck's appearances were sporadic at times and he did well to stay ready.

The bullpen will receive a nice boost with the return of John Brebbia. The 33-year-old pitcher was in the midst of a solid season before landing on the injured list. He posted a 3.14 ERA, 2.70 FIP, 1.08 WHIP, 11.3 K/9, and a 3.60 SO/W rate in 29 outings. Giants manager Gabe Kapler liked using Brebbia as an opener, which is a role where he allowed just one earned run in eight "starts."

Importantly, the veteran reliever is a free agent at the end of the season and it feels like both he and the Giants would be interested in a reunion. Brebbia does a nice job in the bullpen and is a great clubhouse fit.