Brewers Reportedly Sign OF Avisail Garcia to 2-Year Deal
By Mark Powell
After carving out a role for himself on the AL Wild Card-winning Tampa Bay Raya, Avisail Garcia is cashing in.
Garcia, formerly of the Detroit Tigers system-turned-trade chip and longtime White Sox outfielder, finally lived up to his power potential in Chicago in 2017 with his one and only All-Star bid. After a down 2018, his resurgence this past season has landed him a respectable contract in Milwaukee, a team flirting between contention and cutting costs.
Source confirms: Avisaíl García to #Brewers, two years, $20M. First reported: @JonHeyman.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 16, 2019
Garcia isn't known for his defensive prowess by any means, but in a relatively no-pressure prove-it deal in Tampa, the 28-year-old hit 20 home runs and drove in 72 RBI, serving a vital role on a Rays team that surpassed expectations in 2019.
Brewers fans have been concerned with their team's inaction this offseason, as the club has cut payroll to the point the roster is almost unrecognizable outside of mainstays like Christian Yelich and Ryan Braun.
Avisail Garcia turned down 3 year deals with Brewers and elsewhere due to the expiring basic agreement in 2 years and the chance to raise the AAV afterward. Betting on himself #brewers
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 16, 2019
But the Garcia deal is perhaps evidence that Milwaukee has something greater in mind than just cutting costs, which should be a welcomed sight for the small market Brew Crew.