The Mets are adding a seasoned arm to their bullpen, agreeing to a one-year, $1.75 million deal with veteran right-hander Luis García, a move that could be worth up to $3 million with incentives. The deal is pending a physical, but once finalized, it gives New York another experienced option in a bullpen that’s seen some serious upgrades this winter.
García, who turns 39 next week, isn’t new to the grind. He’s entering his 14th big league season and has already suited up for eight different teams.
While his career ERA sits at 4.07, he’s been sharper in recent years. Since 2021, he’s posted a 3.86 ERA-numbers that tell a better story when you look under the hood.
Metrics like SIERA (3.55) and FIP (3.45) suggest he’s been even more effective than the traditional stat line shows.
In 2025, García split time between the Dodgers, Nationals, and Angels, piecing together a 3.42 ERA across those stops. His strikeout rate (20.6%) and walk rate (11.2%) weren’t exactly eye-popping, but he made up for it with a heavy sinker that averaged just under 97 mph and generated ground balls at a near 50% clip. That kind of profile-hard sinker, ground-ball tendencies-can be especially valuable in the middle innings, where inducing a double play can flip the momentum in a hurry.
Now, let’s talk about that walk rate. The 11.2% clip from last season was a jump from his previous four-year average of 7.8%, so there’s a decent chance that was more of an outlier than a trend.
If he can rein that back in, he becomes a much more reliable option. His swinging-strike and chase rates were around league average, which means a modest uptick in strikeouts isn’t out of the question either.
Still, it’s worth noting that he’s posted below-average strikeout numbers for three straight seasons, so expectations should be tempered.
This signing marks the third bullpen addition for the Mets this offseason, though García’s deal is on a much smaller scale than the big-ticket contracts handed out to Devin Williams (three years, $51 million) and Luke Weaver (two years, $22 million). Make no mistake-García isn’t being brought in to close games or handle the eighth inning.
But with 17 career saves and 117 holds under his belt, he knows what it’s like to pitch in high-leverage situations. He’ll likely slot in behind the likes of Williams, Weaver, **A.J.
Minter**, and Brooks Raley, providing depth and experience in the middle innings.
Financially, this isn’t just a $1.75 million deal for the Mets. Because they’re already in the top tier of luxury tax penalties, that base salary will actually cost them $3.675 million.
And if García hits all his incentives, the final price tag could reach $6.3 million. But if he performs at the level he’s shown over the past few seasons, that’s a price the Mets will gladly pay.
Bottom line: this is a savvy depth move. García isn’t the headline act in this bullpen, but he’s a veteran who knows how to navigate a season and keep the ball on the ground. For a Mets team with postseason aspirations and a bullpen built to shorten games, having another steady hand in the middle innings could prove more valuable than the numbers on the contract suggest.