Along with the previously reported Rays and Marlins, the Brewers have interest in free-agent outfielder Avisail Garcia, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.
As a member of the Rays, the 28-year-old Garcia spent the majority of last season in right field, where the Brewers employ the incredible Christian Yelich. However, the club’s not nearly as well off in left, especially after trading Trent Grisham to the Padres. Although he doesn’t carry much experience at the position, Garcia could fit in there for Milwaukee. Based on his 2019 performance, Garcia would be an upgrade over Ben Gamel and could enable Ryan Braun to primarily handle first base, where the Brewers don’t have an obvious answer.
Garcia, who has spent almost all of his MLB tenure with the White Sox, has had an up-and-down career to this point. In fact, he has been a replacement-level player or worse across a few seasons. However, Garcia performed well last season in Tampa Bay, which led MLBTR to predict he’d land a two-year, $12MM contract in free agency.
Over 530 trips to the plate as a Ray, Garcia slashed .282/.332/.464 with 20 home runs en route to a 112 wRC+ and 1.8 fWAR. While the big-bodied Garcia doesn’t look like a speedster, he stole 10 bases, ranked in the 90th percentile in Statcast’s sprint speed metric and acquitted himself well in the field. In 869 innings as a defender last season, Garcia saved a pair of runs, posted a 2.2 Ultimate Zone Rating and finished plus-3 in Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric.
Why would the Brewers sign a right fielder to play left so their left fielder can play first when a simpler solution would be to just sign a first baseman to begin with?
Garcia can play all three
As can Yelich. Braun played some 1st base the past couple years and wasn’t horrible at it.
Garcia is 6’4”. Could he play some 1b too?
It came out Braun would move to first a few months ago, can’t remember exactly why.
He’s played a few games at first the last 2 season and it wasn’t horrible.
Counsell just stated Braun won’t be the primary 1B. Doesn’t mean it’s set in stone but he was just quoted saying that in the last week I think.
Because he is getting iup there in age but can still hit & is still getting paid
Left field is the easier of the 3 positions. Different angles and you don’t need as strong of an arm to play left as you do right. You also don’t need stellar defense to play in left either.
Yeah, and the sky is blue. smh
Why are we blindly believing that to be what will definitely happen? For starters I still don’t think Braun winds up playing much, if any 1b (I don’t recall him playing there at all in ’19). Second, is it a lock that Yelich will be ready to go to start the year? Third, if Garcia is signed, maybe he plays RF and Yelich moves to lf. Or first. Or maybe Garcia ends up at first.
Or maybe he’s not signed at all, and this whole story is nothing but opinions and *gasp* rumors.
The FA crop at 1B isn’t too exciting and moving Braun there might be easier on his body. But they might sign or trade for a LH bat and reduce Braun’s role overall much like the Nats did with Zimmerman.
Trade for Dom Smith for 1st.
Garcia reminds me so much of a former Brewer from 2018; Domingo Santana.
There are tons of 1B free agents available who fit right into the Brewer’s budget. If they don’t go with Garcia, I could see Smoak ending up in MIL or Thames resigning at a smaller amount than what he projected to get in arbitration. If both of those options fail, they could go full reclamation with Greg Bird or Travis Shaw and save a bunch of money for another pitcher.
Thames yes, Shaw please no.
Would be a great fit, could play RF and some 1B
I’s be ok with this!
Don’t get me wrong I like Garcia and he would be better than Gamel. I would rather them let Tyrone Taylor & Cory Ray be their depth and get an OFer at the TDL if necessary. It is funny to think they will spend money on an OFer rather than pitching or 3B. Why not sign Todd Frazier and one of the top pitchers left on the market instead of wasting 5 mil on Garcia.
Something tells me if there was mutual interest from one of those “top pitchers” we’d know about it, and might have actually signed one already.
It’s not quite as simple as “Ace Pitcher is available, stick a contract in front of him to sign, and he signs.” As free agents, they kinda get to choose who they sign with.
Won’t need an OF at the trade deadline and Ray and Taylor are just guys. Milwaukee is a 4th place team in the Central.
Says a fan of the team that’s been looking up at the Brewers the last two years and hasn’t done anything this off-season.
I think Garcia could be a prime candidate to be a “late bloomer” and surprise a lot of people if he can figure a couple of things out. I mean he clearly has more raw skill than he has ever really put to use and much in the same way guys like JD Martinez and Edwin Encarnacion have put the pieces together a little bit later in their careers I think Garcia is capable of the same. (Maybe not quite to the extent of Martinez and Encarnacion – but you get the idea) Obviously it’s a big “if” but if he can straighten a few things out/combine a few of his seasons (like when he hit .330 before an injury a couple years ago) I definitely think if anyone on the FA market has the potential to breakout it’s him. But who knows – it’s definitely a long shot but it’s also definitely possible based on his raw talent alone.
Agree with this – it’s the sort of move the A’s would make. It’s a jigsaw piece move not a $35m AAV blockbuster but it’s that sort of move certain front offices have to make. Can cover CF if needed, RF if Yelich gets injured. There’s upside to 2/$12m if he can stay healthy.
Brewers are big on contact hitters and do not like strike outs. Now that being said Braun and Cain are going to need regular time off plus yes Braun will play some first. Braun flourished last year with regular time off which I believe Cain will do. Taylor didnt get a lot of hits after his call up but was hitting the ball good . It’s just December and I’m sure there will be plenty of things they look at.
Taylor did not get a lot of opportunities but he went 4 for 10 w/ a BB and was hit by a pitch and showed excellent defense in the OF during his callup. It was a small sample size but Taylor is a contact hitter just now developing his power and makes accurate throws w/ above average speed. I hope he has a chance but there is nothing wrong w/ depth in the OF and Garcia is a good option.
Milwaukee had the 5th most strikeouts per team in MLB in 2019 and the most over the last three years. Stubby…go home.
They also had the second most walks in all of MLB. Behind only the Astros. But cherry pick your stats. Go to your basement young virgin.
They also had the second most walks, behind only the Astros. Back to the basement with you
That’s why the Brewers trade for Yellich and signed Cain instead of going with Brinson, Phillips, Broxton, Santana, Cordell and any others because they struck out too much so you go home.
CF- yikes!
Jays should be all in on Garcia, move Grichuck to centre and have Guriel in left. Keep Grichuck in centre till they trade Giles for a true centre fielder. The big if is how much? I’d give him 4 years at 10 mil a year. But then again, i ain’t a manager :)
Ooooff… 4/40 for Avisail Garcia? That would require more than a little dreaming on his potential.
I was thinking the brewers could use another outfielder
I am wondering why the Brewers haven’t looked at CJ Cron for their open 1B spot. And also a Thames reuniting.
Braves have “checked in”
He is cheap and average and most fans never heard of him so he is a perfect Brewers signing.
“Cheap and average and most fans never heard of him” – exactly like Yelich, Grandal, Cain and Moustakas. Very asture observation!
I think he’s a good hitter and great against left handed pitching. If he gets 400 at bats and half or so against lefties he’s a 300/370/550 hitter. He’s also good for 10-20 steals and has a pretty good arm. I liked what little I saw of him in Tb.
Cory Dickerson would be a better option in LF for the Brewers. Much better hitter than Garcia and the defense would be about a push. Neither will win a gold glove.
As for 1B, I could live with Braun there on an everyday basis. Of course, at his age, “everyday” is not gonna be a slam dunk. Logan Morrison wouldn’t be bad at 1B in a platoon. Would not be shocked to see Thames return as a platoon option.
NL Centralis wide open, save for the Pirates. Might only need 90wins to grab the division title. Brewers are just as capable of doing that as the Cubs, Cardinals or Reds.
BTW, the Reds are gonna be a much improved team this year that should not be taken lightly.
Lou-Corey Dickerson is an undervalued player.
He won a gold glove in 2018 with the Pirates even though he had not previously been known for his fielding ability.
If the Pirates trade Marte they should consider moving Reynolds to CF and signing Dickerson.
I’d wonder about Garcia, only because the Rays just gave the Japanese young man about the same money as Garcia is projected. And Garcia is RH, which the Rays need, as opposed to the LH hitter, which the Rays are tilted toward. And Garcia isn’t that bad defensively; nothing special, but not horrible.
Yankees need to lose Happ’s salary.
Hader, Arcia & prospect for Andujar, Frazier & Happ
Or Andujar & Happ for Hader & Arcia
I like this better
I would want way more if I’m the Brewers for Hader
Hader for Happ, Andujar, Clint Frazier, and Domingo German
No way MIL does this. Frazier is such an overrated prospect. Well below average defender with an average bat. These guys are a dime a dozen in MLB. While Andujar had a great 2018, he too is a below average defender coming off of a major surgery so who knows how he recovers from that. Hader is a Top 5 reliever who is a game changer and Milwaukee will not trade him for a couple of lottery tickets with warts. The best thing for the Yankees to do would be to hold onto Andujar for one more year to rebuild his value and prove 2018 wasn’t a career year. If he does, he’ll be much more valuable at the trade deadline than he is today.
They can get a lot more for Hader.