The Marlins are designating veteran outfielder Avisail Garcia for task, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic studies. The 32-year-old Garcia (33 subsequent week) is within the third season of a four-year, $53MM contract that has confirmed to be a considerable misstep for the group.
Garcia’s four-year contract with the Fish got here on the heels of a productive 29-homer displaying in Milwaukee. He’d hit .262/.330/.490 in his ultimate season with the Brewers, and whereas he’d been inconsistent on a year-over-year foundation within the seasons main as much as his huge Miami payday, he notched an general .278/.335/.464 batting line in a half-decade’s value of at-bats previous to placing pen to paper as a free agent in South Florida. He’d additionally proven a repeated knack for laborious contact, logging an 89.9 mph common exit velocity, 10% barrel charge and 42% hard-hit charge in that five-year span (all through Statcast).
A downward spiral for Garcia started virtually instantly with the Marlins. He struggled proper out of the gate in 2022, and whereas he did get sizzling for a bit in June, his general batting line in yr certainly one of that four-year contract checked in at a tepid .224/.266/.317. By measure of wRC+, he was 37% worse than league-average on the plate. Even a modest rebound in 2023 appeared seemingly, however Garcia’s numbers went additional within the mistaken route. Accidents restricted him to solely 118 plate appearances, throughout which he hit simply .185/.241/.315 whereas fanning in an uncharacteristic 33% of his plate appearances. This season, he’s been on the injured listing since late April because of a hamstring pressure.
All in all, Garcia’s time with the Marlins will all however actually draw to a detailed with a disastrous .217/.260/.322 batting line (61 wRC+). He’s nonetheless owed the stability of a $12MM wage this season, plus one other $12MM in 2025 and a $5MM buyout on a 2026 membership possibility. The Marlins technically have per week to attempt to commerce Garcia, however a launch is a close to inevitability. He can’t be positioned on outright waivers as a result of he’s on the injured listing — and he’d clear and reject a minor league task in favor of free company anyhow — and no different membership goes to tackle any portion of that contract.
As soon as Garcia clears launch waivers, he’ll be a free agent who’s in a position to signal with any membership. A brand new workforce would solely owe the previous Tigers, White Sox, Rays and Brewers slugger the prorated league minimal for any time spent on the large league roster/injured listing. That sum can be subtracted from what the Marlins owe him, however by designating him for task now, Miami is successfully conceding that it’s going to eat the overwhelming majority of the lifeless cash on Garcia’s contract.
With Garcia now not within the fold, the Marlins will proceed to deploy an outfield/DH combine together with Bryan De La Cruz, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jesus Sanchez, Nick Gordon and Dane Myers. Triple-A outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. might finally be a part of that blend if he can sustain his stable .280/.347/.466 begin in Jacksonville — notably if the Marlins find yourself transferring any of their extra skilled outfield choices within the run-up to subsequent month’s commerce deadline.
