![Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Avisail Garcia (24) celebrates a two run home run against the Miami Marlins with teammate Billy McKinney (11) during the fifth inning at loanDepot Park](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Q2-WjaKQ-CCDE6NzDBb35h8E9M8=/1436x0:5568x2755/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70202424/usa_today_16051456.0.jpg)
Coming off a strong season in Milwaukee, García receives a $53 million guarantee from Miami.
The same day that our own Hector Rodriguez lamented the Marlins’ lack of offseason activity, news broke Sunday afternoon that they have a four-year, $53 million deal in place with free agent outfielder Avisaíl García (first reported by SportsGrid’s Craig Mish). The timing is not a coincidence: the Fish have three days to complete his physical and make it official before an MLB lockout is expected to begin.
García was believed to be on the Marlins’ radar during 2019-20 free agency, too. His performance during two seasons with the Brewers was pretty much as advertised (.255/.331/.444, 105 wRC+, 3.6 fWAR in 188 G). Playing the majority of 2021 at age 30, he established new career highs in home runs (29) and barrel rate (12.2%).
The Marlins will be García’s fifth major league organization—he started out with the Tigers, White Sox and Rays before signing with Milwaukee. As Daniel Álvarez of El Extrabase mentioned last week on Fish Stripes Unfiltered, he had already made South Florida his offseason home.
Avisaíl García talk from the latest Unfiltered pod https://t.co/11Qgt20WWH pic.twitter.com/nhqdeoCs0L
— Fish Stripes (@fishstripes) November 19, 2021
García offers more game power than old friend/new Met Starling Marte plus he’s 32 months younger. However, he has less agility and bat-to-ball skills, and although he can handle center field in emergency situations, it isn’t his primary position, hence a contract that guarantees $25 million less than Marte’s.
Hector Rodriguez and Fish Stripes Twitter follower @joefranks86 correctly predicted that the Marlins would sign García.
There is—for now—a heavily Venezuelan presence in the Marlins clubhouse as García joins forces with Miguel Rojas, Pablo López, Jesús Aguilar and Elieser Hernandez. Let’s see how many of his countrymen remain in Miami once the dust settles on the club’s winter moves.
The $53 million dollar contract to Garcia is now the biggest contract given out by Miami under the Ownership group of Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter. Once Sandy Alcantara’s deal is done they will have committed over $100 million dollars in payroll this offseason. Far from done.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) November 28, 2021
Much more to come…