Category: MLB

6 things you probably don't know about Adolis Garcia originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies made it official Tuesday morning, signing outfielder Adolis Garcia to the club, and we know quite a bit about the newest member of the Phillies already. But we took a look beyond the baseball card to find some things you may not know about the Cuban slugger.

1. Keeping It In the Family

Garcia’s older brother, Adonis, also played pro ball. He was signed by the Yankees in 2012, then by Atlanta in 2015. He reached the majors with the Braves, playing three seasons before his release in early 2018. The two brothers were united as teammates with Gigantes of the Dominican Winter League in 2019.

2. Hold Your Phone, He’s Got a Cannon!

He packs some serious heat, bringing one of the strongest outfield arms in all of baseball. His average throw is measured at 91.9 mph, among the best in MLB. According to MLB Savant, he was a plus-1 Outs Against Average in 2025, tied for 12^th among 36 qualified right fielders. Nick Castellanos ranked 35^th, with a minus-12.

Check out this seed in the 2023 World Series:

ADOLIS GARCIA'S THROW IS ON THE MONEY 🎯

(via @Rangers)pic.twitter.com/WnFOKdK6Pt

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 31, 2023

3. Dealt for Chump Change

Garcia produced so little for his first MLB team, the St. Louis Cardinals, that they traded him to the Rangers in the 2019 offseason for cash. No players, no prospects. Straight cash, homey. He spent most of 2020 at the Rangers’ training site before bursting onto the scene in 2021, hitting 31 homers, making the All-Star team and finishing fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

4. They Call Him What?!?

His nickname is not a flattering one. He is affectionately known by fans as “El Bombi,” which sounds cute, until you find that bombi is short for “bombilla,” which means “light bulb.” Garcia was given that nickname by the neighborhood kid growing up in Cuba, because he thought Garcia’s head resembled a light bulb.

5. Getting His Derby On

He is a two-time participant in the Home Run Derby during the All-Star festivities. In 2023, he hit 17 homers in the first round at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. Unfortunately, he drew Tampa’s Randy Arozarenam who walloped 24 on his way to the finals. The following year, at his home stadium, Globe Life Park, he improved upon on his first run, hitting 18, but again, not enough to make it past the opening round.

Adolis Garcia has been introduced at the Home Run Derby. It got loud in Globe Life Field. pic.twitter.com/Y45eTN72lq

— Shawn McFarland (@McFarland_Shawn) July 16, 2024

Imagine Citizens Bank Park this summer with not one, but two Phillies sluggers going swat for swat in the Derby.

6. Late Getting the Signals

He didn’t watch a World Series game on TV until he was 23 years old. He was unable to watch in his native Cuba, which makes it nearly impossible to see anything but state-run programming. In 2016, Garcia defected, becoming a citizen of the Dominican Republic, where he was able to watch the Cubs and Guardians in the Fall Classic, seven years before helping the Rangers win the Series himself.

Right-handed pitcher Adrian Houser, Giants reportedly agree to two-year contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants bolstered their starting rotation on Tuesday.

San Francisco agreed to a two-year, $22 million contract with right-handed pitcher Adrian Houser, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported, citing sources.

Right-hander Adrian Houser and the San Francisco Giants are in agreement on a two-year, $22 million contract with a club option for a third year, sources tell ESPN. Between the signing of Jason Foley and the addition of Houser, the Giants are shoring up their pitching staff.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 16, 2025

Houser, 32, went 8-5 and posted a 3.31 ERA with 92 strikeouts and 38 walks in 125 combined innings pitched with the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays last season.

Selected by the Houston Astros in the second round of the 2011 MLB Draft, Houser made his MLB debut with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2015 before returning to the minors for a few seasons and finally sticking at the major-league level starting in 2019.

Houser was traded from Milwaukee to the New York Mets in Dec. 2023 and signed with Chicago as a free agent in May of last season before he was dealt again to Tampa Bay before last summer’s trade deadline.

Over parts of nine MLB seasons, Houser has a career 40-44 record with a 4.06 ERA in 733 2/3 combined innings pitched.

It’s unclear exactly how San Francisco might use Houser next season, but he, at the very least, should provide valuable veteran depth in the starting rotation.

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Giants sign right-handed relief pitcher Jason Foley to one-year contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants added additional bullpen depth on Tuesday.

San Francisco signed veteran right-handed relief pitcher Jason Foley to a one-year MLB contract, the team announced Tuesday afternoon.

Foley, 30, last pitched for the Detroit Tigers in 2024 before undergoing right shoulder surgery in May of this year to repair his anterior capsule that sidelined him for the 2025 season.

In 69 appearances in 2024, Foley posted a 3.15 ERA with 46 strikeouts, 20 walks and 28 saves in 60 innings pitched for Detroit.

Foley made his MLB debut with Detroit in 2021, and from 2022-2024, his 189 1/3 innings pitched ranked fifth among American League relievers during that span.

The Giants’ expectation is that Foley will be back pitching midway through the 2026 MLB season.

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Are the Yankees considering a Michael King reunion?

The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham reported this week that New York, the Orioles and Red Sox "are competing for" the free-agent right-hander, whose "decision is not necessarily soon."

The New York Post's Greg Joyce added that the Yankees are "open to" reuniting with King, 30, whom they dealt among others to the Padres in their December 2023 trade with San Diego for outfielders Juan Soto and Trent Grisham.

"The thing about Kinger is he's got obviously great stuff and a great arsenal," New York manager Aaron Boone said last week at the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla., according to Joyce. "He’s really smart and has a real good understanding of that stuff. It's allowed him to evolve as a pitcher, coupled with his confidence."

Starting 45 of 46 regular-season games for the Padres from 2024-25, King went 18-12 with a 3.10 ERA and 1.194 WHIP in 247 IP. He battled injuries during his second year in San Diego, limiting him to 73.1 IP over 15 starts.

"We are playing around with a lot of different ideas and seeing if it takes us anywhere," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told YES Network last week.

King transitioned from reliever to starter at the end of his time in New York, a chapter that spanned five MLB seasons (2019-23). He made his MLB debut Sept. 27, 2019, with the Yankees, who landed him from the Miami Marlins in a November 2017 trade.

The Marlins originally selected King from Boston College with the No. 353 overall pick in the 12th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. The Rochester, N.Y., native played at Warwick (R.I.) Bishop Hendrickson High School before heading to Boston College from 2014-16.

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The Mets are signing outfielder Cristian Pache to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to big league spring training, per multiple reports.

Pache, 27, last played in the majors in 2024, splitting time between the Phillies, Orioles, and Marlins.

His best season came in 2023, when he had a .735 OPS for the Phillies in 48 games.

During his five-year major league career, Pache has hit .181/.243/275 in 610 plate appearances across 251 games for the Marlins, Orioles, Phillies, A's, and Braves.

Pache could be a useful depth option, but his addition obviously does nothing to address New York's starting needs in the outfield. 

The Mets have Juan Sotoentrenched in right field, but are seeking answers in left field and center field.

One option is for top prospect Carson Benge to break camp in one of those spots, but the expectation is the Mets will make at least one -- and perhaps two -- serious additions to the outfield this offseason. 

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte is one of the buzziest names on the MLB trade block, but it seems as if the veteran isn't interested in heading to the Bronx. 

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Yankees are one of five teams on Marte's no-trade list, along with the Athletics, Pirates, Giants, and Cardinals. 

While the Yanks currently have Jazz Chisholm Jr. as their second baseman, ESPN's Jeff Passan recently reported that NewYork has listened on potential trades for Chisholm, who is set to be a free agent at the end of the 2026 season. 

Marte also has experience at shortstop and in center field, but seems fairly locked in as a second baseman at this point. 

A three-time All-Star, Marte has a career slash line of .281/.351/.472 with 171 home runs, 587 RBI, and 688 runs scored.

The 32-year-old signed a six-year, $116.5 million extension with the D-backs this past April -- a deal that includes a player option for the 2031 season.

Royals eyeing Duran, but Red Sox' asking price too high: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

If the Boston Red Sox look to trade Jarren Duran this offseason, the Kansas City Royals are an obvious match. Kansas City is looking for outfield help, and its pitching staff includes multiple arms that could pique Boston’s interest.

The Royals are open to trading for Duran, but according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Red Sox’ asking price is too high. KC believes such a deal would require shipping left-hander Cole Ragans to Boston.

“Even after signing free agent Lane Thomas and trading for Isaac Collins, the Kansas City Royals are open to adding another outfielder – most notably Jarren Duran, if the Boston Red Sox lower their asking price,” Rosenthal writes.

“The Royals are under the impression Duran would cost them left-hander Cole Ragans, though the Red Sox view the initial talks as more informal and exploratory, according to people briefed on the conversations.

“Both Ragans, 28, and Duran, 29, are under club control for three more seasons, with Ragans under contract for a combined $12 million in 2026-27 and Duran for $7.75 million in ’26. The Royals, though, see Ragans as a player with greater value, a potential Game 1 starter in a postseason series.”

Although a Duran-for-Ragans deal makes sense for both sides, the Royals’ hesitance is understandable. Ragans is an ace-caliber starter with multiple years of control, and pitchers fitting that description typically come with a hefty price tag. Boston likely would have to add an intriguing prospect or two to the trade package to get Kansas City to bite, but given Ragans’ ability to slot in as the No. 2 starter behind Garrett Crochet, it may be worth it.

Ragans placed fourth in the 2024 American League Cy Young vote, finishing with a 3.14 ERA and an AL-best 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings. He missed time last season with groin and rotator cuff injuries, limiting him to only 13 starts (61.1 innings pitched). He posted a 4.67 ERA, but his 2.50 FIP and 14.3 strikeouts per nine innings were encouraging.

Duran, an All-Star in 2024, is coming off a down season in which he slashed .256/.332/.442 with 16 homers, 84 RBI, and 24 stolen bases in 157 games. He’s part of a crowded Red Sox outfield that includes Wilyer Abreu, Roman Anthony, and Ceddanne Rafaela.

Boston has been expected to move one of their outfielders — specifically Duran or Abreu — this offseason, but chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is content with keeping the group intact, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe.

“According to executives from multiple clubs that have been in the market for outfielders and have talked trade possibilities with the Red Sox, Breslow’s message has been consistent. He has Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, and Jarren Duran on the roster. He is comfortable keeping it that way into next season unless a team convinces him not to,” Healey writes.

Keeping all four outfielders would be a head-scratcher. The only logical path to giving each player consistent playing time would be shifting Rafaela — an elite center fielder — to second base. Trading Duran or Abreu would clear the logjam while presumably upgrading the Red Sox’ pitching staff.

Other than Ragans, fellow southpaw Kris Bubic is among the Royals’ most valuable pitchers who could be available on the trade market. Bubic, 28, is coming off a breakout All-Star campaign in which he posted a 2.55 ERA across 20 starts.

Phillies sign two-time All-Star outfielder Adolis García originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

All offseason long, the Phillies have made it clear they want more right-handed impact. On Monday, they took a step in that direction.

Per Francys Romero of Beisbol FR, Philadelphia is finalizing a one-year, $10 million deal with outfielder Adolis García.

García, 32, has spent the past six seasons with Texas after breaking into the Majors with St. Louis in 2018. Over five full seasons with the Rangers (excluding 2020), he hit 141 home runs and posted a .234/.298/.443 line, averaging 3.0 WAR per season.

He was a key contributor in Texas’ victorious 2023 World Series run — a season that also included an All-Star nod and a Gold Glove— producing a 1.108 OPS with eight homers in the postseason and earning ALCS MVP honors after going deep five times against Houston. His biggest moment came in Game 1 of the Fall Classic when he slugged a dramatic walk-off homer in the bottom of the 11th inning.

The Rangers non-tendered García on Nov. 21, as he was projected to make north of $10 million in his final year of arbitration.

The move comes after two down years at the plate. García has a .675 OPS in that span and has reached base at a .278 clip.

In 2025, he produced a .665 OPS — sixth-worst in the American League among qualified hitters — with a .227 average, 19 homers and 75 RBIs, and his Statcast profile reflected the swing-and-miss: a 35.7% chase rate, 30.3% whiff rate and 5.1% walk rate.  

Defensively, García remains an asset, even on the wrong side of 30. Across 128 games in right field last season, he graded above league average in Outs Above Average (OAA) and logged a 91.9 mph arm on average, placing him in the top eight percent of the league.

According to FanGraphs, García was one of the best defenders at the position, finishing with 16 defensive runs saved — the best mark among right fielders and one more than Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winner Fernando Tatís Jr.

This move comes as a likely, direct replacement for Nick Castellanos. Clearly, García is the stronger defensive outfielder — he posted 1 OAA in 2025 compared to Castellanos’ -12 — and while it remains difficult to envision another club absorbing Castellanos’ $20 million salary, the Phillies clearly wanted a reset in right field.

García fits as a buy-low swing with real upside. The underlying power is still there, his arm and defense remain superior and the one-year deal limits risk. If the Phillies can get even a partial return to form, they’ve added right-handed protection for Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber without a long-term financial commitment.

Giants manager Tony Vitello explains why Drew Gilbert became a fan favorite originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Tony Vitello didn’t need long to explain why Giants outfielder Drew Gilbert already has become a fan favorite in San Francisco.

Vitello, who coached Gilbert at Tennessee before taking over in San Francisco, joined NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic on the latest “Giants Talk” podcast and broke down the energy and competitiveness that made the former Volunteer star a foundational player for him then — and a natural fit with Giants fans now.

“I think it’s easy to see how much he wants to win,” Vitello told Pavlovic. “If you pay for a ticket to go to the game, you want to see a win… so you want that equal kind of give from the players. And with Drew, because he wears his emotions on his sleeve so much, you’ll never doubt it.”

Vitello said Gilbert’s emotional transparency — the intensity, the reactions, the way he carries himself — creates a rare connection.

“There’s other players too that there’s as much give, but you just don’t see it as much,” Vitello added. “For him, you have that visual — the way he plays, the emotion he plays with — and it can really affect the locker room. I think that’s his strength. It’ll never leave.”

Now that the two are reunited at the big-league level, Vitello said Gilbert is focused on continuing to round out his game so he can “stand the test of time” in MLB.

And while Vitello has watched a lot of players move on from Tennessee, following Gilbert’s rise in San Francisco became something of an event inside the program.

“The coolest thing is when guys come back to work out or train with us, or see a game,” Vitello noted. “But second place to that is us being able to follow them and see them. We don’t get to look at box scores every day … but when it’s news that’s as loud or as exciting as it was with Drew, it kind of captivated the whole underbelly of our stadium for a while.”

Now, Vitello won’t have to follow from afar.

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How new Giants manager Tony Vitello is getting up to speed with team's roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — The second question of Tony Vitello’s media availability at the MLB Winter Meetings was about which manager he hopes to get to know as he makes the transition from Tennessee to leading the Giants. Vitello didn’t hesitate to mention Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy.

Murphy, a two-time Manager of the Year, already had relayed some advice to Vitello through the Andersons. Frank Anderson, who coached with Vitello at Tennessee and will be on his staff in San Francisco, has known Murphy for years, and his son, Brett, finished his career in Milwaukee.

“I haven’t seen him yet,” Vitello said of Murphy. “It’s been busy.”

Twenty minutes later, Vitello walked out of the conference room at the Signia by Hilton and ran right into Murphy. The two talked for several minutes, and in the middle of their conversation, Dusty Baker joined. 

Vitello joked on Tuesday that he didn’t “know what I’m doing at this thing, to be honest with you,” but in Orlando, he found plenty willing to help. Several current MLB managers went out of their way to approach and introduce themselves after interviews and meetings. They all will be competing in a few months, but right now, Vitello is being welcomed into a new community.

The Winter Meetings made it easy to meet other managers. Aside from simply running into one another at times, there were several events where all 30 attended, and one where they took a group picture. Meeting his own players before pitchers and catchers report will take a bit more effort. 

Vitello plans to fly to the Dominican Republic this week and then visit South Korea in January, trips that he hopes will allow him to spend quality time with Willy Adames, Rafael Devers and Jung Hoo Lee, while also meeting others in the organization and seeing some Giants facilities.

Vitello basically came straight from Tennessee practices to Oracle Park in October, and other than former Volunteers Drew Gilbert and Blade Tidwell, along with others he unsuccessfully recruited — Bryce Eldridge, Sam Hentges, etc. — he does not have a lot of experience with the current roster. He said getting time with his stars since that press conference has not been as easy as outsiders might think. There’s a reason for that.

“I know the coaching candidates very, very well, either the ones we’ve hired or the ones we’ve considered,” Vitello said. “That became an all-out project on top of some other things that came with this unique transition from the program I was very much a part of to now.”

“So the biggest thing has been that staff.”

The entire staff finally got together on Wednesday, having dinner at an Italian restaurant in the hotel hosting the Winter Meetings. While there has been a delay in announcing it because some exact responsibilities are still being finalized, everyone is under contract and the work on 2026 already has started. 

There are a lot of ways in which Vitello’s first year will be unique, and his relationship with his roster is near the top of the list. Just about every first-year manager has a pretty good baseline of MLB knowledge because most were big leaguers themselves or spent years as a bench coach or hitting coach. 

Vitello has coached quite a few current MLB stars and against just about every big name to come out of the college game in recent years, but he is playing catchup when it comes to learning the division and his own roster, which is understandable. 

It would have been unreasonable to expect Vitello to be watching Giants-Diamondbacks games in September when he was running a college program. But he did start following the organization more closely after Gilbert and Tidwell were traded over in July. 

Gilbert spent the weeks after the Vitello hire talking to some of his teammates about what to expect. The manager has exchanged plenty of text messages and calls, but said he’s looking forward to really diving in before they all gather in Scottsdale in February. 

Vitello said he has tried to be a little “guarded” early on, knowing that they’re all about to spend every day together for eight-plus months and there’s no value in jumping to conclusions now. But he kept his ears open in the suite at the Winter Meetings, listening closely to the information others were giving about Logan Webb, Matt Chapman and others.

“It would be great if I exchanged 25 more text messages than Chappy and I have, or we’ve yet to hook up in person, but nothing is going to be like being in Spring Training and being around somebody every day.”

The trips over the next couple of months will accelerate that process. They also will check off some destinations for a man who considers travel to be one of his biggest passions other than baseball.

“It’s fun to experience different cultures and get to meet different people and understand where they’re coming from and maybe you learn something that you make a part of your own life,” Vitello said. “I’m kind of as excited about that as anything. We’ll go to a couple places, either as a staff or I’ll go on my own, to visit with some of these players.

“Part of it is work, and part of it is me stealing a free trip to go see a new place because I truly kind of enjoy that.” 

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Giants reportedly on D-backs star Ketel Marte's five-team MLB no-trade list originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It does not appear the Giants can pull off a trade for Arizona Diamondbacks star second baseman Ketel Marte.

At least, without his blessing.

San Francisco, who The Athletic’s Katie Woo reported Saturday “remains engaged” with Arizona in trade talks for Marte, will have to clear one major hurdle to land the three-time All-Star.

The Giants, along with the Athletics, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals are five teams on Marte’s no-trade list, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported in a story published Monday morning, citing people briefed on Marte’s contract.

Marte, on the 10th day of the 2026 MLB season, also will gain full no-trade protection as a player with 10 years of major-league service, per The Athletic.

It’s unclear if Arizona is willing to trade Marte to a division rival, but as The Athletic previously reported, the Seattle Mariners also are interested in the 32-year-old.

Marte, over his last three seasons in Arizona, batted a combined .283/.368/.519 with 89 home runs, 249 RBI and a 141 OPS+ and is one season removed from a 35-homer, 95-RBI season in 2024.

He also is an attractive option for teams because of his affordable contract, with Marte owed $102.5 million over the next six seasons, including $41 million in deferrals that are not paid out until 10 years after the money is earned, which lowers his average annual value to a manageable $14.6 million.

If the Giants, or any team, wants to trade for Marte, Arizona, The Athletic reports, is seeking young pitching in any potential deal for the second baseman.

Should San Francisco be willing to part with its young pitching, and would Marte even waive his no-trade clause?

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