Cardinals right-handed reliever John Brebbia underwent Tommy John surgery June 3, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak revealed Wednesday (via Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch).
Mozeliak announced that Brebbia will begin the season on the injured list, but considering TJ recovery tends to take 12 to 15 months, he looks like a shoo-in to miss all of 2020 and at least some portion of next year. It’s awful news for Brebbia and the Cardinals, for whom he has offered strong production since making his major league debut a few seasons ago.
Now 30 years old, Brebbia has been a quality scrapheap pickup for the Cardinals, who took him from the Diamondbacks in the 2015 Rule 5 Draft. He broke into the majors in 2017 and has since logged a 3.14 ERA/3.39 FIP across 175 innings. Brebbia totaled a career-best 72 2/3 frames last season, when he survived a minuscule 26.9 percent groundball rate to record a 3.59 ERA/3.13 FIP with 10.78 K/9 and 3.34 BB/9.
While Brebbia’s on a near-minimum salary this year, he’s slated to go through the arbitration process for the first time next winter. The Cardinals can control him through 2023, but whether they’ll do so will depend in large part on if he’s able to bounce back from this procedure.
yikes
Was wondering if there was something there. He was lights out then struggled second half last year. Couldn’t pin point what cause I didn’t watch film. Maybe this
Was wondering if there was something there. He was lights out then struggled second half last year. Couldn’t pin point what cause I didn’t watch film. Maybe this, hope he recovers quick. He’s a decent guy from what I’ve seen in interviews.
He could potentially miss all or very close to all of the 2021 season.
The Cardinals organization is notorious for
Blowing out relievers successful relievers arms due over use.
Well that’s a surprise. I suppose if we have to lose someone to TJ, now would be the time with the shortened season and coronavirus concerns. Hopefully he bounces back, he’s a fun guy to have on a team.
Ya gotta be kidding me
The doctors couldn’t identify this as a possibility until literally days before “spring” training?
Most hospitals (at least where i live) were not open for elective surgeries until end of May, beginning of June.
Elon grad.
My former student. A prince of a guy….
How could the Cardinals have taken him in the 15 Rule 5, but made his MLB debut in 17? What am I missing? DL for all of 16?
likely the minors phase
Still surprised the injury just came out. Was he hurt from the original spring training?
The photo used in the app looks like it was taken as he was being informed of the TJ news
I’m confused. if he was taken in the 2015 rule 5 draft, but didnt come in until 2017, how was he not returned to the Diamondbacks?
Must have been on the Cardinals 40 man roster.
There is a minors phase.
He was taken in the AAA phase, and therefire ciuld be kept without having to be on tha 40
Man roster not without having to be offered back to the Diamondbacks. He must have been on the DBacks AA team’s roster going inti the Rule 5 draft and thus chosen by the Cardinals AAA team.
That IS finding something on a scrapheap.