The Miami Marlins have designated veteran outfielder Avisaíl García for assignment, the team announced Tuesday. García, who signed a four-year pact worth $53 million prior to the 2022 season, will still be owed what's left on his contract through the completion of the deal. That includes what's left on his $12 million salary this season, in addition to his $12 million salary for next year, and a $5 million buyout on the club option the Marlins held on his services in 2026, which adds up to about $24 million.
It's fair to write that García, 32, was a massive disappointment for the Marlins. Across parts of three seasons, he hit just .217/.260/.322 (62 OPS+) with 13 home runs and six stolen bases in 153 games. His contributions were estimated to be worth nearly two wins below replacement level, per Baseball Reference's calculations.
Prior to joining the Marlins, García had earned a reputation as a talented, but inconsistent performer. Even with his putrid Marlins stint, his career marks include a 100 OPS+ and 140 home runs. He made the All-Star Game in 2017, and he launched a career-best 29 home runs in 2021 as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Marlins were hopeful that García could bring that kind of power to their lineup. Alas, that desire never materialized in a meaningful way.
García's removal from the Marlins roster is the latest attempt by new baseball operations head Peter Bendix to correct the mistakes made by Kim Ng and Miami's previous management team. Earlier this season, Bendix began what's likely to be a summer-long sell-off on South Beach by trading infielder Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres in exchange for a four-player package.
The Marlins enter play on Tuesday with a 21-39 record on the year, good for the worst record in the entire National League.
