The Phillies have agreed to trade right-hander Edgar Garcia to the Rays in exchange for a player to be named later, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports (via Twitter). Tampa Bay has designated infielder Daniel Robertson for assignment to create roster space for Garcia, MLB.com’s Juan Toribio reports (Twitter link).
Philadelphia designated Garcia for assignment late last week. The 23-year-old made his big league debut in 2019, tossing 39 innings out of the Phils’ bullpen and posting 5.77 ERA, 10.4 K/9, and 1.73 K/BB. Homers and walks were Garcia’s biggest issue, as he allowed 11 home runs and issued 26 free passes over his 39-inning stint.
The long ball also developed as a problem for Garcia at Triple-A (1.6 HR/9), though admittedly over the small sample size of 33 2/3 career innings at the top minor league level. For his entire minor league career, Garcia has posted some solid numbers — a 3.43 ERA, 3.27 K/BB rate, and 9.3 K/9 through 301 1/3 innings in Philadelphia’s farm system. The Rays obviously think there’s some potential for Garcia to add their ever-revolving bullpen mix.
It wasn’t long ago that Robertson was considered to be a potential shortstop of the future in Tampa, or at least the type of multi-positional player the Rays love to deploy. He even hit .262/.382/.415 over 340 plate appearances in 2018, though a thumb injury shortened that season and then a knee problem hampered Robertson in 2019. With Willy Adames taking over at shortstop (with Wander Franco looming on the horizon) and Joey Wendle and Mike Brosseau emerging as utility infield answers, it seems like Robertson was simply squeezed out of a job.
Robertson has hit .231/.340/.352 with 16 home runs over 831 career MLB plate appearances, and he also has a .280/371/.411 slash line through 2389 PA in the minors. Between these numbers, his former first-round pedigree (34th overall pick in 2012), and his ability to play left field and all over the infield, Robertson seems like a decent candidate to be plucked off the DFA wire.
nice to get something for him. he struggled a bit in the Majors but he’s still young.
He looked decent last year but two or three horrible outings kind of ruined his stats. It wouldn’t be a stretch to see him pitch a couple times for TB this year in low leverage situations.
Welcome to Baltimore, D-Rob!
Not sure Baltimore would consider him an upgrade over anyone they currently have. More likely headed towards Boston.
Mike Elias has cornered the market on utility infielders! There isn’t one that will get by him.
Ramon Urias is as good as DFA’d!
exactly. says something about Urias that Pat V. (cant spell his name) is up over him, good spring or not.
No way do we need infield upgrades in Boston… we need pitching. Doubt he comes here.
Garcia has 2 options left, and I’m not sure, given TB’s ability to find useful players that are in limbo, that the Phillies should have hung up the phone when called.
D-Robertson, despite his lofty draft status, and ability to play decently at a variety of positions, never really panned out.
This will be the next shutdown reliever
as a huge d rob believer ever since he was traded to the rays, this makes me really sad
wonder if we could have gotten Robertson as the PTBN
I hated trading Robertson years ago when the A’s rented zobrist. Eventually they flipped zobrist for Sean Manaea who’s a solid back to mid rotation SP when healthy although not much more than that
Brosseau also throws a mean 64mph fastball.
I don’t even know who he is but I know he is already 100% better than Drury and Panik combined….so in other words Shatkins will likely extend Drury and Panik instead.
Chaim Bloom will bring him to Boston… ANOTHER 2B option, and he has familiarity with Robertson in a front office perspective
Bloom get Robertson better than Peraza.
Gee it’s almost as if the Phillies have no effing clue what they’re doing. A team absolutely desperate for pitching parting ways with yet another arm under 25. Pure genius.
The Rays must be desperate to dumpster dive from the castoffs of the absolute worst bullpen in baseball.