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Former Phillies pitcher Luis Garcia has hit free agency after being designated for assignment by the Twins

The Philadelphia Phillies have continued their stunning early-season turnaround, as they have gone from being one of the worst teams in the league to sitting in second place in the National League East division. There is still a lot of work for the Phillies to do, but they look capable of being the sort of playoff contender they were expected to be entering the year.

Philadelphia has already made some notable changes to its roster this season, but the front office is always going to be looking for ways to beef up its team. Across the league, the Phillies likely took note when one of their former players, relief pitcher Luis Garcia, hit the open market after the Minnesota Twins made a final decision on his status with the team.

Luis Garcia Hits Free Agency After Twins Move

Garcia broke into the majors all the way back in 2013 with the Phillies, which is where he spent the first six years of his career. While he hasn’t always been particularly consistent, Garcia managed to stick around with the team as a trusted middle-innings option. His best season came in 2017, as he posted a 2.65 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 71.1 innings of work.

Since leaving Philadelphia, Garcia has bounced around the league quite a bit, spending time with nine different teams. He’s already pitched for both the New York Mets and Twins this season, but his numbers haven’t been good, as he’s posted a 9.00 ERA over 15 innings of work. It’s been a struggle for Garcia to find a consistent home, and that has continued now that Minnesota has opted to shake up its roster again.

Earlier this week, the Twins designated Garcia for assignment in an attempt to stash him in the minors as an extra depth option. Given his veteran standing, though, Garcia had the option to reject his assignment to the minors, and that’s precisely what he did, as he instead opted to hit the open market in an effort to try and latch on with a new team in the majors.

“Reliever Luis Garcia elected free agency,” Dan Hayes of The Athletic reported in a post on X.

Should the Phillies Consider Reuniting with Luis Garcia?

GettyFormer Phillies pitcher Luis Garcia has hit free agency after being designated for assignment by the Twins

At 39 years old, Garcia doesn’t appear to have much left in the tank, especially considering how poorly he has pitched early on this season. Still, he has a wealth of experience in the majors, and if a team needs an extra arm to come in and help shore up their bullpen for a short period of time, it could be worth giving him a shot to see if he can get hot.

Right now, though, the Phillies are rolling, and they don’t really appear to have a need for Garcia. Reunions are always fun to see in the majors, but it has to make sense for both parties, and it doesn’t seem like Philly really needs to bring him to town right now. After sweeping the San Diego Padres, Philadelphia will enjoy a day off on Thursday before kicking off a big weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.