Reds risk disaster if they chase this Rangers slugger for a quick power boost

The Cincinnati Reds' best chance to find the outfield power bat they crave is to shop the trade market, looking for players in their final years of arbitration who could be moved as their current club looks to rebalance assets or pivot to different priorities.

One option that would have made a lot of sense was Taylor Ward, though he's now off the board thanks to the Baltimore Orioles' shocking overpay. With such a perfect fit now eliminated as an option, the Reds will have to turn their attention elsewhere, and another AL West outfielder has hit the block who might look like a fit on paper.

On paper and reality are two different things, and the latter is exactly why Cincinnati would be wise to steer clear of Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia.

The Rangers are putting slugging outfielder Adolis Garcia on the block, but the Reds need to pass

In 2023, Garcia was a key cog in a powerful Rangers' lineup that helped the team end October with World Series glory. After hitting 31 and 27 homers the previous two seasons, respectively, Garcia clubbed 39 taters while posting a career-high 128 wRC+.

Like most powerhouse sluggers, Garcia's homer barrage came at the cost of a high strikeout rate, finishing 2023 at a 27.7% mark, but he seemingly found another gear in the patience department, posting a 10.3% walk rate that dwarfed his previous career high of 6.1%.

That led many to believe he was a breakout star, but just as quickly as he rose, he fell back down to earth, hard. In 2024, Garcia posted 25 long balls, but they were mostly empty as his walks disappeared, Ks remained elevated, and he tallied a 94 wRC+. In 2025, the power fell off further, with 19 homers, a .394 SLG, and a career-worst 83 wRC+.

Garcia still hits the ball hard. His 92.1 miles per hour average exit velocity is in the 89th percentile, but he doesn't do much with it, with a launch angle sweet spot percentage of just 33.2%, which is a 32nd percentile mark.

Essentially, what that means is Garcia isn't hitting the ball at an angle that is likely to do damage, despite the fact that his strength gives him an impressive hard hit rate. The result? A lot of harmless fly balls and groundouts.

The big reason for this is his putrid chase rate, which is in the bottom 10% of the league. Not only does that contribute to his high strikeout totals, but it also has him making contact on sub-optimal pitches. He's always been below average when it comes to chasing pitches out of the zone, but in 2023, he ranked in the 42nd percentile rather than the bottom of the barrel performance we saw in 2025.

Entering his age-33 season, it's unlikely that this old dog learns new tricks and breaks his undisciplined ways. Since 2023, his walk rates have plummeted again, coming in at 7.1% in 2024 and 5.1% this year.

Aside from growing weary of his regression, the Rangers are shopping him because they are desperate to cut payroll, and Garcia is projected to make $12.1 million in his final year of arbitration. That's not an insignificant chunk of change, and while the cost in prospects wouldn't be high, if the Reds are to take on that kind of money, they'd need a sure thing and not a low-probability reclamation project.

Cross Garcia off the list and go back to the drawing board. The Reds need a big bat, but Garcia certainly doesn't fit that bill.