Brewers: Is OF Avisail Garcia a good FA target?

There are a lot of missing pieces to the Milwaukee Brewers 2020 puzzle, but one piece they should find is free agent outfielder Avisail Garcia.

How has Garcia performed to date?

In his eight years in the league, the 29 year old Avisail Garcia is batting .273 with an OBP of .323, and one All-Star appearance. In the last three years he has averaged 19 home runs per year. He did struggle somewhat in 2018, but really bounced back last year in Tampa Bay with a slash line of .282/.332/.464 along with 20 home runs and 72 RBIs. In addition, he stole a career high 10 bases last season.

Garcia also has played in five different playoff series in his career and has racked up 45 plate appearances in the post season. He has also shown some versatility in the field. He’s played most of his games in right field but does have experience in left and center and has shown to be a quality defender throughout his career. A knock on Garcia is that he hasn’t played in more than 136 games in the last three years.

Why he fits in with the Brewers

Various contract estimates have Garcia projected to make around $10 million for one year or $15 over two. For the production the Brewers would get, that could a bargain compared to other free agent outfielders on the market. By signing a plug in and play outfielder, the Brewers would get more options when it comes to outfield and first base.

As far as first base is concerned, it would give the Brewers the option put Ryan Braun permanently at first or allow the Brewers the put Braun at first on a part time basis and then trade for or sign a less expensive first base option to fill in for Braun on his off days.

In the outfield, it would allow veterans like Braun and Lorenzo Cain to get more opportunities to rest because with Garcia you are losing very little, if anything, by having him in the lineup instead of one of those two. In other words, it gives the Brewers more options in the field and manager Craig Counsell is known for liking lineup and player flexibility.

Because of his solid career stats, defensive flexibility, and relatively inexpensive contract projections, Garcia is a free agent the Brewers should be targeting this off season.