Position: LHP
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 240 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/L
Born: 01/18/1993
Country: Dominican Republic
Signed: International Free Agent, 2010 (Marlins)
How Acquired: Free Agent
Bonus: N/A
40-man Roster: Yes
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Minor League Free Agency: N/A
Options Left: 0
Overview
Garcia worked his way slowly up through the minors and eventually got established in the majors as a reliever. His fastball averages in the 93-94 range, and he relies heavily on a slider and change. The slider has been the more effective of his secondary pitches, although the change produces more swings and misses. Garcia has always had very low walk and K rates, and he’s sometimes had gopher ball problems. He’s generally gotten hit fairly hard, but somehow has maintained a very low BABIP, .244 for his career. This is probably the main reason his xFIP has usually been about a run higher than his ERA. Garcia’s fastball got hit harder in 2022, which probably accounts for his opponents’ average going from .196 in 2021 to .242. He’s often, although not always, had large platoon splits.
2011-16
Garcia worked his way up through the Marlins’ system, mainly as a starter. He pitched well but didn’t dominate, and didn’t reach full season ball until 2014. He generally had low K rates while walking few, or very few, hitters, but at times he got hit a little hard. At that point, Baseball America ranked him tenth among Marlins’ prospects, but he went unselected in the Rule 5 draft.
Garcia finally got to AA late in 2015 and didn’t have an easy time there. Miami added him to the 40-man roster anyway. In 2016, he returned to AA, although he missed nearly half the season with a triceps strain. When he was able to pitch, he put up his characteristic low walk and K rates, while opponents batted a respectable .253 against him.
2017-18
The Marlins moved Garcia to the bullpen and he spent most of the season with them, making 68 appearances. He didn’t allow a lot of baserunners, but the results overall were just passable. Garcia had a big platoon split, allowing a .783 OPS to right-handed batters and just .603 to left-handed. In 2018, he opened the season in the Miami rotation, but he had a rough month of May and the Marlins sent him to AAA, where he pitched as a starter. He returned to the majors and pitched exclusively in relief, apart from serving as an opener once. He struggled through August, allowing ten runs in ten innings, but pitched much better in September. He had serious gopher ball problems on the year, giving up 16, or one every four innings.
2019-20
AAA: 2-0-0, 1.93 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 9.1 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 10.6 K/9
MLB: 4-2-0, 3.02 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 50.2 IP, 2.8 BB/9, 6.9 K/9
Garcia finally settled in full-time as a reliever, making 53 of his 60 appearances in the majors. He got good results, although the metrics didn’t entirely buy it, probably in part due to a very low K rate. He had a 4.74 xFIP compared to a 3.02 ERA. Miami designated him for assignment after the season and the Giants claimed him off waivers. The 2020 season, of course, was delayed due to the pandemic, and Garcia missed a month for “medical reasons,” which may have been COVID. When he pitched for the Giants he had a very good season, posting a 2.62 ERA, of course with his usual low walk and K rates.
2021-22
In 2021, Garcia made 58 appearances and had a strong season for the Giants, again except for a very low K rate. The gopher ball problems partially resurfaced, as he allowed nine. He had a big platoon split, with a .726 opponents’ OPS against right-handed hitters and .513 against left-handed. The following year, though, he took a step backward, giving up ten home runs and again struggling a little with right-handed hitters. The season started well, but he fell off badly after May. He had a 1.91 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in the season’s first half, but 5.63 and 1.31, with seven gopher balls, in the second. The biggest difference was that his fastball started getting hammered. After the season the Giants designated him for assignment and he became a free agent.
2023
The Pirates signed Garcia for 2023, with a team option for 2024. He didn’t open the season with them, though, because he suffered a left forearm injury during spring training that left him unable to grip a baseball. It was ultimately diagnosed as a nerve injury. There was never any definitive report on his recovery schedule and, by mid-season, he seemed to have been entirely forgotten. He did not return.
It seems unlikely the Pirates will exercise Garcia’s 2024 option, especially considering that it has no buyout.
Stats
Transactions
August 13, 2010: Signed by the Miami Marlins as an international free agent.
November 20, 2015: Contract purchased by the Miami Marlins.
February 10, 2020: Claimed off waivers from the Miami Marlins by the San Francisco Giants.
November 18, 2022: Became a free agent.
December 6, 2022: Signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates.