By Jackson RobertsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberIt's been an odd two years for the Texas Rangers since winning a World Series title for the first time, and no one embodies the eventful run more than right fielder Adolis García.
In 2023, García hit 38 home runs in the regular season and eight more in the playoffs, where he posted a ridiculous 1.108 OPS. He hit so many massive home runs, it's hard to pick a favorite, though a Game 1 walk-off in the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks certainly comes to mind.
But in the last two years, García put up just a .278 on-base percentage and 96 OPS+. He was about a league-average player all of a sudden, and heading into his last year of arbitration, there was a decent amount of buzz that the Rangers could drop him.
...On Friday, that news became official. According to a report from Jesse Rogers of ESPN, the Rangers decided to non-tender García, which will make him a free agent for the first time since he signed as a minor-leaguer with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017.
The move couldn't be classified as a surprise, given reports earlier this week that the Rangers were looking to trade García (and fellow 2023 All-Star Jonah Heim). It's no shocker that they struggled to find suitors, considering the new team would have been on the hook for the same arbitration contract as Texas.
According to a report from Robert Murray of FanSided, Heim was non-tendered as well, as were right-handed pitcher Josh Sborz, who pitched the clinching ninth inning of that World Series, and fellow righty Jacob Webb.
As for the arbitration figure in question, MLB Trade Rumors had García projected for $12.1 million, which would have been added stress to a payroll that already includes big guarantees for Jacob deGrom, Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, and Nathan Eovaldi.
Lots of players re-sign with their old teams after being non-tendered, so it's not a guarantee that we've seen the last of García in a Rangers uniform. But it wouldn't be a surprise if the 32-year-old wanted to go somewhere he felt more valued, considering he was instrumental in bringing the first-ever championship to the Rangers franchise.
Plus, even though the money was surely a factor, there's a chance the Rangers simply want a clean break from García, though there's no obvious top prospect ready to take his spot on the roster. Maybe this is an opportunity for Texas to hit free agency and inject some new life into the offense.
More MLB: Phillies Poach 27-Year-Old Slugger from Orioles on Waivers
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