With the MLB trade deadline only weeks away, teams are adding players to their 26-man and 40-man rosters in hopes of finding a quick solution until a trade materializes.
However, when a team calls up a prospect or veteran from the minor leagues, usually, someone gets optioned to the minor leagues or designated for assignment. We recently saw this last month with the Boston Red Sox, who sent rookie second baseman Kristian Campbell to the minors after struggling at the plate in the majors.
Meanwhile, veteran reliever Zach Penrod wasn’t so lucky as he was DFA’d, but Boston found a way to trade him to another team. Speaking of bullpen arms, this former Red Sox reliever went through the same thing as Penrod with his most recent team and finally found a new playing opportunity.
Ex-Red Sox Reliever Luis Garcia Joins Washington Nationals
On Sunday, Andrew Golden of the Washington Post reported that the Washington Nationals signed former Red Sox pitcher Luis Garcia to a minor-league deal.
The Nationals are signing reliever Luis Garcia to a major league deal, per sources, though the deal is still pending a physical.
— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) July 7, 2025
13-year major league vet. Was DFA'd by the Dodgers and released on July 4.
The Los Angeles Dodgers designated Garcia for assignment on June 29, and he was officially released on July 4. The former Red Sox hurler struggled in his short time with the Dodgers, as he had a 5.27 ERA across 28 appearances in relief.
Garcia allowed 34 hits, 17 runs (16 earned), six wild pitches, 16 walks, and a home run, while striking out 24 hitters across 27.1 innings pitched. Opponents were hitting .312 off the veteran reliever, while possessing an .868 OPS.
Garcia joined the Dodgers on a minor league deal in February after spending the second half of the 2024 season with the Red Sox. Boston acquired Garcia at the trade deadline from the Los Angeles Angels.
The veteran reliever had a 3.71 ERA across 45 appearances with the Angels, but couldn’t put up the same numbers in Boston.
Garcia got lit up, posting an 8.22 ERA across 15 appearances out of the bullpen. He allowed 24 hits, 15 runs (14 earned), four home runs, a walk, while racking up 13 strikeouts in 15.1 innings.
At this stage of his career, the veteran reliever might be trending down, but he’ll try to get back on track with the Nationals, who have one of the worst bullpens in the majors this season (5.79 ERA).