Phillies Finalizing Deal with Adolis García: A High-Upside Swing for 2026
The Phillies are making moves - and this one has the potential to bring some serious pop to Citizens Bank Park. According to sources, Philadelphia is finalizing a one-year, $10 million deal with Cuban outfielder Adolis García, pending a physical.
Now, if the Phillies are getting even a glimpse of the 2023 version of García, buckle up. That year, he was a force of nature.
He mashed 39 home runs, drove in 107 runs, and posted an .836 OPS en route to an All-Star appearance. And when October rolled around, he didn’t just show up - he took over.
García racked up 20 hits, eight of them homers, and drove in 22 runs during the Rangers' postseason run, earning ALCS MVP honors. That kind of postseason production is the stuff that gets etched into franchise lore.
It’s worth noting that his playoff heroics came at the expense of the Arizona Diamondbacks - the same team that ended the Phillies’ 2023 season in heartbreak. So yeah, there’s a little poetic symmetry here.
But let’s be real: García hasn’t looked like that guy over the past two seasons. In 2024 and 2025, the power was still there in flashes, but the consistency?
Not so much. His batting average dipped to .225, and the strikeouts piled up - 150+ Ks a season isn’t ideal, especially when the on-base and slugging numbers are trending in the wrong direction.
At ages 31 and 32, those are the kind of red flags that make teams think twice.
Still, the Phillies clearly see something they like. This move also sends a pretty clear message: Nick Castellanos’ time in right field is likely coming to a close. Whether García steps in as the everyday guy or part of a platoon, the outfield is getting a new look.
There’s also a bit of history here. García is set to become the first position player born in Cuba to suit up for the Phillies since Hall of Famer Tony Pérez back in 1983. That’s more than four decades between Cuban-born hitters in red pinstripes - a cool footnote to what could be a pivotal signing.
This is the kind of low-risk, high-reward deal that contending teams love to make. If García rediscovers even a portion of his 2023 form, the Phillies just added a dangerous bat to a lineup that’s already built to score.
If he doesn’t? It’s a one-year flyer that doesn’t tie their hands long-term.
Either way, it’s a bold swing - and in Philly, that’s exactly the kind of move fans expect.