1:00pm: Garcia’s deal is a Major League contract, per SiriusXM’s Craig Mish (Twitter link).
11:30am: The Marlins have a deal with free agent righty Yimi Garcia, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter). He had been non-tendered by the Dodgers. Details of the agreement aren’t known.
Garcia, 29, certainly fulfills the Marlins’ stated desire for relievers that can put the ball in the zone. He has allowed just 30 walks in 159 2/3 career innings at the game’s highest level. Garcia has also averaged more than a strikeout per frame, with 166 over that same span.
The trouble for Garcia — and the likely reason he was non-tendered by the Dodgers despite a modest $1.1MM projected tab — is that he has yet to figure out how to keep the ball in the yard. Garcia has coughed up 22 long balls in his past 84 2/3 innings. But he rates excellently in terms of fastball spin, curveball spin, hard-hit rate and opponents’ exit velocity despite yielding an exorbitant number of homers (15 in 62 1/3 innings this past season). He’d be controllable via arbitration through 2021 if he can right the ship in a reunion with former Dodgers skipper Don Mattingly.
MarlinsFanBase
Okay that’s one bullpen piece.
VonPurpleHayes
Definitely serviceable.
angt222
Agreed.
Long Duc Dong
Unless you play all your games underwater can’t keep the ball in the park
stan lee the manly
Makes sense for him to pitch in one of the worst power parks in the MLB then.
elscorchot
They brought the fences in. Not as much of a pitchers paradise, anymore.
MarlinsFanBase
We’re at sea level. That’s a start.
rockofloveusa
wrong it a flyer buy low and hope high
Joegio
Trollin trollin trollin keeps those fingers trollin
tycobb016
Don’t try and understand ’em, just rope and tie and brand ’em.
22Leo
Good to know he is no longer the Dodgers’ problem.
Psychguy
He was awful in high leverage situations, but you could say that about most of their relievers.
BigFred
Only 29 years old, so he could be part of the next Marlins contending team in 2026.
stretch123
Haha?
OofAndYikes
Crazy they gave him a 1 year deal with the option for 6 more, don’t see that very often
stretch123
Solid signing. Moving to Marlins park should certainly help him.
Joe Kerr
Except they are moving the fences in at Marlins Park. It’s also not like Dodger Stadium is a hitters paradise or anything.
stretch123
True but it should still help Garcia. Even with the fences moving in it won’t cause a huge spike in home runs.
mlbdodgerfan2015
“Gopher Ball” Garcia. Cringed at every pitch he threw knowing a good chance it would be hit out.
377194
I hear they’re bring back Jose Reyes.
rockofloveusa
why that the dumb thing i read today??
Harwood
Best offseason news for the Dodgers so far.
Big Hurt
Yippy for Yimi!!
wedgeant27
This wasn’t a Mets pickup?
Jordan 5
Get ready for the long ball
Jordan 5
Can you say whip lash!!
horrorluvr
Good luck with this gopher.
Joegio
Yeehaw rawhide
BlueSkyLA
How does a pitcher with supposedly such a great spin rate serve up so many cement-mixer gopher balls?
Mjm117
“……and then consistently pitch an all-star level with the Marlins in 2020. “
Finished your sentence.
2bbige
If you are comfortable w/SO + SO + HR + SO every inning, he is your guy!
Dark14ry
Thank you Miami for taking this guy off the market and ensuring the Dodgers couldnt bring him back. Typical Dodgers RP. If he comes in with anyone on base, he will give up a big hit with 2 strikes to clear the bases and then proceed to strike out the side.