The Philadelphia Phillies badly needed to patch up their outfield heading into the offseason, and on Monday, they took a step toward doing that, signing Adolis Garcia to a one-year contract.
It’s definitely a low-risk, potentially high-reward move, with Garcia set to earn a very manageable $10 million in 2026. But is it the best move for the Phillies given the circumstances?
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ESPN’s David Schoenfield was clearly not a fan of the Garcia addition, giving it a “D” grade as he questioned whether or not Garcia would ever be able to rediscover his production from 2023, when he helped lead the Texas Rangers to a World Series title.
“That was the one year he reigned in his super-high chase rate, going below 30% for the only time in his career (he was back up to a 35.7% chase rate in 2025) and posting a 10% walk rate (back down to 5% in 2025),” Schoenfield wrote. “Since that season stands out as an outlier, it seems unlikely Garcia will suddenly transform back into a more patient hitter with an above-average OBP.”
The Rangers non-tendered Garcia following a rough 2025 campaign in which he slashed .227/.271/.394 with 19 home runs and 75 RBI over 547 plate appearances.
Adolis Garcia. Credit:Â Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images.
Garcia was elite defensively this past season, registering a plus-16 DRS, but there is no question that his bat was an issue.
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The 32-year-old hasn’t been quite the same since smashing 39 homers to go along with 107 RBI in 2023, as he then posted a .684 OPS in 2024 before an even worse campaign in 2025.
But perhaps Garcia can rekindle his prior form?
It’s not like 2023 was a one-year outlier for the Cuban native, as he also tallied 29 long balls and 101 RBI the season prior. Back in 2021, he finished with 31 dingers and 90 RBI.
Garcia owns a lifetime .237/.293/.441 slash line, so clearly, getting on base has never been one of his strong points. But he does carry some pop, something the Phillies could use behind Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. Plus, he has been a great defender for most of his career.
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Schoenfield’s biggest concern is the addition of Garcia taking Philadelphia out of the running for either Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger, but that may have happened the second the Phillies re-signed Schwarber to a $150 million pact.
It’s important to remember that Philadelphia probably isn’t done adding pieces, though, so we should probably wait before passing any final judgments.