Veteran right-hander had 4.88 ERA and 3.56 xERA in 59 innings with the Angels and Red Sox in 2024. Garcia originally signed with the Dodgers in 2004.
The Dodgers signed veteran reliever Luis García to a minor league contract that includes a non-roster invitation to big league camp, per multiple reports.
The pact with the 38-year-old pitcher was first reported Thursday by Aram Leighton of Just Baseball. On Friday, Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic reported that García is in camp at Camelback Ranch.
García signed a $4.25 million contract with the Angels in December 2023, and was traded to the Red Sox at the deadline for four players. Between Anaheim and Boston, the right-hander had a 4.88 ERA and 3.56 xERA in 60 relief appearances, with 53 strikeouts and 13 unintentional walks in 59 innings.
He missed three weeks on the injured list in August and September with right elbow inflammation.
The Dodgers originally signed García out of the Dominican Republic in 2004 eight days shy of his 17th birthday. At the August 31 waiver trade deadline — something that no longer exists — in 2009, García was traded along with a player to be named later to the Nationals for Ronnie Belliard. Left-hander Victor Gárate was sent to Washington three days later to complete the deal.
Belliard channeled his inner Marlon Anderson down the stretch, hitting an absurd .351/.398/.636 with a 176 wRC+, five home runs, seven doubles, and 17 RBI in 24 games. He even wrested the second base job in October from Orlando Hudson, who was an All-Star and won a Gold Glove Award that season.
In García’s last game for Great Lakes, then a Low-A team, fellow future major leaguers Dee Strange-Gordon, Chili Buss, and Jerry Sands started for the Loons. Other Great Lakes teammates included Nathan Eovaldi, Javy Guerra, Elián Herrera, and Ethan Martin.
García made the majors by 2013 with the Phillies, and has pitched in the majors in each of the last dozen seasons. He has a 4.14 ERA and 100 ERA+ in 528 career innings, with 499 strikeouts and 231 walks for the Phillies, Angels (two stints), Rangers, Cardinals, Padres, and Red Sox.
García was an Article XX(B) major league free agent, someone with at least six years of service time (he has nine year, seven days) who finished out his previous contract. Per the collective bargaining agreement, any such free agent who signs a minor league contract gets automatic opt-out dates built into the contract:
- Four days prior to (domestic) opening day (March 23 this year)
- May 1
- June 1
The only other Dodgers non-roster invitee with at least six years of service time is pitcher Giovanny Gallegos, but he was released by the Cardinals last August, and played out 2024 on a minor league deal with the Twins. He wasn’t considered a major league free agent this offseason, and thus didn’t get the automatic opt-outs built in. Though such clauses may very well be negotiated by anyone.
Garcia is the 25th non-roster invitee in Dodgers camp, and the 14th pitcher among that group. There are 67 players in camp, counting pitchers Gavin Stone and River Ryan, who were placed on the 60-day injured list this week.