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Rays predicted to 'buy low' on World Series hero as free agent OF upgrade
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- Rays predicted to 'buy low' on World Series hero as free agent OF upgrade
Rays predicted to 'buy low' on World Series hero as free agent OF upgrade originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Tampa Bay Rays are one of the best teams in Major League Baseball at getting the best bang for their buck. Whether it's pitchers or hitters, the Rays seem to get the best out of players.
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Looking ahead to the 2026-2027 MLB offseason, the Rays could be looking to make another shrewd outfield addition, like they did with Cedric Mullins last winter.
This time, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report is predicting the Rays will land former Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers World Series hero Adolis Garcia as a "buy low" option this offseason.
Rays predicted to sign Adolis Garcia as a 'buy low' FA target
"The Rays could use some combination of Victor Mesa Jr. , Jonny DeLuca and Ryan Vilade to fill out their outfield alongside speedster Chandler Simpson in left field, but an outside addition similar to last winter's Cedric Mullins signing also makes sense," Reuter writes. "A buy-low flier on Adolis Garcia would be a similar upside play."
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Adding a one-year rental outfielder in Garcia would be a smart move for any team to make. He has great pop, is a solid defender, and in the right environment, could be a major contributor come the postseason.
He suffered a season-ending injury with the Phillies during the 2026 season. Garcia had -0.8 bWAR with seven homers, a .195 batting average, and a .599 OPS in 231 at-bats with the Phillies before his injury.
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Considering his struggles in Philadelphia, he'll surely be available at a low price this offseason. That's exactly the kind of player the Rays should be eyeing up.
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He's a cheap, high-upside signing who could provide quality outfield defense with 30-homer power. While he's struggled the last few seasons, the upside is still there.
Garcia helped the Rangers win the World Series, winning ALCS MVP in the process. The Rays could use someone like him in the outfield, if nothing other than a buy-low platoon outfielder.
Adding Garcia would be a very Rays-like move for the team to make. Buying low on someone with a ton of upside after a down year is the kind of move the Rays seemingly always make that other MLB teams regret not making themselves. Garcia could be next.
