Breaking: Blue Jays Bring Back a Familiar Face: Yimi Garcia Returns to Toronto on a Two-Year Deal
The Toronto Blue Jays have reportedly signed their first free agent this season.
According to Ari Alexander, the Blue Jays have re-signed Yimi García to a two-year, $15 million deal.
This isn’t García’s first stint with the Blue Jays, as he signed with the team before the 2022 season. That season, he had a 3.10 ERA and a 3.47 FIP in 61 innings pitched, with a career-best 22 holds. In 2023, he finished with a 4.09 ERA and a 3.39 FIP in 66 innings pitched, with a 28 K% and a 5.3 BB%.
Thanks to a vesting option, García automatically had his contract extended an extra season, where he had a 2.70 ERA and a 2.67 FIP in 30 innings pitched, with a career-best 36.5 K% and a 7 BB%.
The Blue Jays had a ton of injuries and regression, as Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson spent time on the Injured List, while Tim Mayza struggled mightily. García became the Blue Jays close, picking up five saves in six opportunities, along with 10 holds.
His strong play and the Blue Jays’ not-so-strong play led to them selling at the trade deadline, where they traded García to the Seattle Mariners in the first of many moves leading up to the deadline. In return, the Blue Jays received prospects Jonatan Clase and Jacob Sharp.
