The Los Angeles Dodgers found out what the Boston Red Sox discovered last season when they traded for right-handed relief pitcher Luis García at the trade deadline — he's not quite an answer for a team looking for consistency in the bullpen. After signing with the Dodgers in the offseason, Garcia didn't even make it to the All-Star break, as he was designated for assignment over the weekend.
For a Dodgers team that has had nothing but pitching injuries this season, García likely stuck around longer than his numbers suggest he should have. In 28 appearances with the Dodgers this season, García posted an undesirable ERA of 5.27 with an underwhelming strikeout percentage of 19 percent. Add the fact that García was walking 12 percent of the batters he faced this season, and it seemed that his time with the Dodgers was eventually going to come to an end.
Now, the reason García may find work elsewhere this season is that the underlying metrics during his time with the Dodgers would suggest there was some bad luck involved with his outings. García's FIP on the season sits at 3.56, and with a .388 BABIP, it seems as if there weren't plays being made behind him.
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García's inconsistency is something that Red Sox fans know all too well. After sending four prospects to the Los Angeles Angels for García at the deadline, the Red Sox quickly had regret over the deal.
An injury essentially wiped out the final month of the season for García, who was also ineffective when he was healthy for the Red Sox. In 15 appearances with the Red Sox last season, García had an ERA of 8.22. Like with the Dodgers this season, García simply wasn't missing bats when he was a member of the Red Sox bullpen. And when the balls were put in play, there weren't plays being made behind him as García had a BABIP of .370 during his time with the Red Sox.
The Red Sox, if they buy at the deadline, likely would be in the market for additions to the bullpen, but it's a safe assumption to say there is no interest in a reunion with García.