The Boston Red Sox are one of several teams that will be looking to make an addition at Thursday’s trade deadline, but they know that not all deals are created equal. The Red Sox wound up being surprise buyers at the trade deadline and wound up acquiring reliever Luis Garcia from the Los Angeles Angels, but the deal didn’t have the desired effect as Boston missed the postseason for the sixth time in the past seven seasons.
While Garcia wasn’t the sole reason the Sox missed the playoffs, his presence didn’t help. It appears that his former team wasn’t watching when he went to Boston, and he’ll now get a chance to ruin someone else’s playoff push after a trade on Wednesday afternoon.
Former Red Sox Deadline Bust Luis Garcia Gets Traded Back to Angels
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Washington Nationals traded Garcia and fellow reliever Andrew Chafin to the Angels in exchange for pitcher Jake Eder. The deal will look to help the Los Angeles bullpen, which ranks 27th in ERA and 27th in WHIP this season, but Garcia might not be of much service.
As part of this deal, left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin is also going to the Angels. Left-hander Jake Eder is one player heading back to the Nationals in the deal, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/bl4ny681ty
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 30, 2025
Garcia pitched well the last time he threw on an Angels uniform, going 5-1 with a 3.71 ERA in 45 appearances before he was traded to Boston last summer. Things changed when he arrived to the Red Sox, allowing 14 earned runs in 15.1 innings. The struggles continued when he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers this winter, going 2-0 with a 5.27 ERA in 28 appearances before he was designated for assignment, but he pitched well after joining the Nationals allowing one run with seven strikeouts and two walks in 10 innings.
Perhaps the Angels’ staff knows the secrets to unlock the 38-year-old. His 4.09 ERA is the second-lowest of any team he’s pitched for with a minimum of 100 appearances, and Baseball Savant noted high chase (33.1%) and ground ball (50.3%) rates in 2024 that have dropped tremendously this season.
With the deadline picking up, it would be a surprise if the Red Sox jumped in and added an arm. But while teams pivot from more expensive options, roller coaster arms like Garcia are more likely to be moved and potentially wreck another team’s chances at making a playoff appearance.