Phillies Free Agent Signing Has Been Disappointment So Far

Which signing from this offseason has been a disappointment?

May 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Philadelphia Phillies hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies are off to a disappointing start to the season, and some of their offseason acquisitions haven’t panned out just yet. 

Following a heartbreaking loss in the playoffs to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the postseason last year, the Phillies entered the campaign once again looking to be a contender in the National League.

This was a team that had all of the makings of a World Series contender once again last year, but ultimately fell short once again. Coming into the winter, Philadelphia did seek some upgrades for some key areas to help improve, and was right in the mix for Bo Bichette. However, they were ultimately not able to get a deal done. 

With an excellent starting rotation on paper, trying to improve the offense, which has been a disappointment at times, was undoubtedly a goal. This offseason, they signed Adolis Garcia to help provide some help from the right side of the plate in the outfield. Unfortunately, the results haven’t been great. 

Garcia Has Been Disappointment 

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Adolis Garcia | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

This winter, one of the most significant moves for the Phillies was them signing Garcia to a one-year, $10 million deal. After some down seasons with the Texas Rangers, the Phillies took a chance on the slugger, but the results haven’t been great so far. 

So far, he has slashed .231/.301/.385 with two home runs and five RBI in 18 games. While the numbers aren’t good, he has played in every game for Philadelphia, showcasing some good durability early on. However, he was brought in to be an impact hitter for the team, and that has not been the case so far. 

Even though the Phillies might have hoped that he could turn things around, he has struggled at the plate for the last few years, and poor production shouldn't be a surprise. In each of the last two years, he has not had an OPS over the .700 mark, and Philadelphia bringing him in to help offensively was a bit of a surprise considering his struggles for a significant period of time. 

Going forward, the Phillies really shouldn’t be relying on Garcia to make a positive impact on the offense. He has struggled for over two years now at the plate, and his suddenly turning it around seems unlikely. 

As Philadelphia tries to turn things around from their early struggles, the offensive production being better is going to be key. Ideally, Garcia will start to find his form from the 2023 campaign, but that feels a bit unlikely at this point.