The Padres have announced agreement with free agent reliever Luis García on a two-year contract. It’s reportedly a $7MM guarantee.
The multi-year deal is a nice pull for García, who entered the 2021 campaign as a non-roster invitee with the Yankees. After failing to crack New York’s season-opening roster, he spent the first couple months of the season in Triple-A. García triggered an opt-out clause in that deal and landed a big league roster spot with the Cardinals in July.
The 34-year-old (35 in January) made the most of his half-season in St. Louis. He worked 33 1/3 innings of 3.24 ERA ball across 34 outings, earning his way into higher-leverage work by September. García fanned a slightly above-average 25.2% of opposing hitters while walking only 5.9% of batters faced. That was handily the best control he’s ever shown, as García typically walked batters at a higher than average rate during his time as an inconsistent middle innings option with the Phillies earlier in his career.
Even more impressive than his bottom line results were his pitch-by-pitch numbers. García generated swinging strikes on 14.9% of his offerings, a mark that’s more than three percentage points above the 11.7% league average for relievers. That’s largely on the strength of his slider, which opponents rather comically missed more than half the time they offered at it. That was his primary complement against right-handed hitters to a sinker that averaged greater than 98 MPH, while he also found plenty of success mixing in a split against lefty batters.
It remains to be seen whether García can sustain his half-season success moving forward — particularly the seeming strides he made with his control. It’s a fairly inexpensive gamble on a live arm for the Friars, with García having the opportunity to cement himself into the club’s late-innings mix. With previous closer Mark Melancon departing to join the division-rival Diamondbacks, Pierce Johnson, Tim Hill, Emilio Pagán and Austin Adams look to be the other top options for new skipper Bob Melvin.
Robert Murray of FanSided reported the agreement and its terms shortly before the official announcement.
Good luck with the Padres. Garcia pitched well for the Cards, but we were not comfortable giving 2 year contract for 7 million. Good decision by Mozeliak to let him go.
He has a very nasty Sinker, if he’s able to maintain its a good pick up for the Padres, if he’s not able then it’s a good avoidment by mozeliak. I personally am not happy to see Garcia leaving.
It’s 3.5 million a season lol. Cards just being cheap
I totally agree with Milwaukee-2208. $7M over two years is peanuts for this owner. Just too cheap.
Milwaukee-2208- Cheap, I invite you to check our payroll for the past two seasons at least. Garcia had a great season with the Cardinals, but the Cards were not comfortable giving a multiyear contract to him after pitching well for like 35 games.
Bullpen guys( aside from your true stoppers) are a dime a dozen out there, no need to spend that much on a guy who couldn’t crack an MLB bullpen year and then turned it on second half of season. Just doesn’t make sense to me.
Realty is STL economy is dying. That’s why they just sued Owner Stan Kronke for 750 million. Inbev take over of AB. The list goes on and on? 3.5 million for a reliever like Garcia is a fair price. The fact the birds shyed away from it maybe has more to do with there own past luck on such signings? Either way if he maintains control that Sinker slider combo he possess is deadly
I would love to know what the Pads are thinking for a closer in 22
Garcia
I think Robert Suarez out of the Japanese league might be the guy. They were linked to him yesterday in a way that said the signing was close.
He has a heater that can touch 100mph and a 1.16ERA with 42 saves last year for Hanshin. Not sure if it will translate over to MLB but seems like a potential option.
He is intriguing for sure. But lacking any MLB experience still a big IF. Last year they let 4 guys fight it out for closer and spring training and Melancon won. Maybe they have a similar plan this year between Garcia, Pomeranz (if healthy), Suarez, Pagan?…. and ….Lamet?
Pagan until Pomeranz returns in April or May.
Yikes
“Garcia? Who’s he?” -Rickey Henderson
“Exactly, he sounds like a San Diego Padre already.” – Billy Beane
I’m kinda torn. I wanted him back on the Cardinals badly, and that’s not a bad deal at all. But it’s a decent bet that his 2022 won’t be as successful as his 2021. No telling for 2023. Still, $3.5M is a great deal for him if he can continue to keep the walks in check. His slider is so awesome.
Nice payout for him.
yeah…he deserves it. But not from Cardinals
At least the cards can add a couple more pitchers in the bullpen that we have in the minors or if we sign some pitchers, I hope we can see more of what Angel Rondon can do and see if Johan Oviedo can prove the talent he has. Hope he does well in San Diego!
Garcia was absolutely lights out at the backend for the Cardinals in 2021
Excellent Signing for the Padres. Not a high dollar risk and a lot of possible payoff.
He reinvented himself with that Sinker he throws now. It is lights out. Combine that with that Slider that probably only Musgrove can match and he is a great late inning arm. But, I bet he ends up as the closer. Any takers?
Odd that the article says that Melvin will have Tim Hill, Pagan, Johnson and Adams as RP help, with no mention of Stammen, Pomeranz, Kerr.
Preller signs another player with a mediocre history but one good recent season to a multi-year deal. Doesn’t he learn from his mistakes?
Nothing he has shown in the past 7 years says he does.
Which mistakes?
Only relievers he acquired that didn’t work out got injured.
Did he make a mistake with Melancon?
Tim Hill?
Even Pagan was very good in 2020.
Pomeranz,Kela,Strahm,all pitched well until,hurt.
Who were his bad bullpen moves?
@ Observer. Been on Mars last 7 years? Reality, if that matters, tells us that the Padres have a history of brilliance in developing bullpens and all star closers. Data don’t lie. Under Preller, Yates, Hand, Rosenthal, Melancon, etc…
@Brewer88 I never said they don’t have a history of developing good bullpens (which predates Preller). My response was to Pads Fans asking if Preller learns from his mistakes, which he pretty obviously doesn’t learn from his mistakes.
The entire article and all the posts are about Padre bullpen, so naturally I took your comment to be criticizing Preller’s RP decisions. If Preller has excelled at anything, it’s been building elite bullpens, sounds like you recognize that.
The Padres’ history of elite bullpens predates Preller by at least 10 years. Elite bullpens but never actually having a lead to hold were a hallmark of Padres baseball in the late ’00s-early ’10s.
I really liked what he did for us last year and wish him well on the left coast. However his history is inconsistent and he may have regression next season. However, we still need to add to our pen. Good luck Amadito.
Based on his history, he’s going to be pretty good in 2023.
MISSED IT BY THAT [ = ] MUCH !!
According to informed sources, The Marlins were in on Luis Garcia right up until he signed the deal to join the Padres.. The Marlins made a “strong” offer, but not one that matched the Padres’ financial commitment. The Marlins weren’t the only team to be outbid.
The Minnesota Twins had also been linked to Garcia.
Cardinals will regret not resigning him.
This guy pitched 33 good innings, preceeded by 3 years of ERA at 7.26, 4.35 and 6.07
You just bought his age 35 and 36 season for $7m????