The electric Adolis Garcia, best known for his 2023 World Series performance with the Rangers, has been DFA’d and set astray from the Rangers, and is now seeking a prove-it deal with a team to prove his worth and that his bat is still electric. At 32, he makes a lot of sense for the Cincinnati Reds, who Nati Sports has heard from the grapevine have interest in the former gold glove slugger, and the interest mutual from Adolis. Subscribe to our Newsletter by using the popup or the form below!
Nati Sports Cincinnati Reds HUB
Your one-stop page for Reds trades, roster moves, prospects, salary trackers, and daily news.
Visit the Reds HUB →Adolis’ Recent Struggles
García’s career has featured some remarkable – even casuals would recall of – highlights. After breaking into MLB with the St. Louis Cardinals, he became a cornerstone for the Rangers. A two-time All-Star, Gold Glove recipient, and a key figure in Texas’ first ever World Series championship in 2023, even earning ALCS MVP honors that postseason.
However, his recent performance has been less dominant. In the 2024 and 2025 seasons, he experienced a whole lot of declines at the plate, with power numbers and overall offensive production slipping compared to his peak years. That regression contributed to the Rangers’ decision not to tender him a contract for 2026, making García a free agent earlier than many expected, and leaving him on the table for a hungry for another prove it vet deal, the Cincinnati Reds.
What the Reds Might See in Adolis García
For the Reds, García represents a blend of what they seek in free agency every period: upside and veteran pedigree.
- Power: Even with recent struggles, García has shown he can hit home runs consistently. A skill that could be magnified at Great American Ball Park, a VERY hitter-friendly venue where Cincinnati has lacked consistent middle of the order pop. Cincinnati struggled mightily with consistent power presence no matter where in the lineup.
- Experience: Bringing in a player with postseason success and leadership could benefit a young Reds roster seeking to take the next step, especially after a playoff appearance in 2025 where they ran into early elimination, namely to lack of offensive production and timely hitting.
- Defense: Despite offensive downturns, he remains a capable defender in right field, adding value beyond batting. I would imagine his services being utilized in left field, if anywhere, but the Reds seem adamant they aren’t afraid to move guys around. He is a far better defender than Austin Hays was.
Given his recent performance trends and age (entering his mid-30s in 2026), García is likely to seek a “prove-it” contract. Perhaps a 1 or 2 yr deal in the roughly $4-5M AAV range. Such a deal could be low risk and high reward for a team like the Reds if García regains even a portion of his earlier production, his OPS and OBP has slipped quite considerably, but a risk well worth it, in our opinion. He totaled 19 homers in 2025, but if playing at Great American, he would’ve totaled 23 per Statcast.
From Cincinnati’s perspective, signing García could address one of its biggest offseason needs: power hitting protection in the lineup. This was one of their biggest weaknesses in 2025, and they seemed almost…proud of it. To succeed, that can’t be a thing anymore..
Final Notes
While nothing is official yet, the idea of Adolis García in a Reds uniform in 2026 is more than idle speculation – he fits perfectly. Cheap rebound candidate with above average defense, some of which the team has let it known of recent to appreciate. It reflects the current landscape of MLB’s offseason as well, a mix of shifting finances and players seeking fresh starts. For Cincinnati, García represents both a potential bat upgrade and a veteran presence capable of helping push the club deeper into October if he hits on his benchmarks we’ve seen previously.
Where we don’t think this is a needle mover by any stretch of the imagination, Garcia could genuinely catch a new whiff of stardom and ultimately become who he was in 2023. For $4-5M AAV, that is a no brainer… he has also been dependable and is a good defender. I would pay him a bit more, even. We’ve mentioned his defense several times now, that can’t go unnoticed when paying him.
Whether the Reds ultimately sign him will depend on if they can get their hands on another bat to add additionally, and add more to the bullpen. Garcia is rumored to have a relatively decent market from quite a few contenders, so it may push the Reds out of range for their limited budget. Current Red, Jose Trevino, is close to Adolis and could contribute to recruiting him to Cincinnati. We’ll see what happens!
