Rumors: White Sox Reportedly Looking to Trade Avisail Garcia

CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 30: Avisail Garcia #26 of the Chicago White Sox rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 30, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 30: Avisail Garcia #26 of the Chicago White Sox rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 30, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

White Sox reportedly looking to trade All-Star outfielder this offseason as he will be entering his final year of arbitration.

Avisail Garcia‘s time with the Chicago White Sox might be coming to an end this offseason. According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Sox are reportedly trying to trade Garcia. The 27-year-old outfielder could be non-tendered if he isn’t traded.

Garcia will be entering the final year of arbitration eligibility and appears to be on the outside looking in as the White Sox rebuild continues moving along. After a stellar All-Star year in 2017, Garcia crashed back down to earth last season as he missed time due to various injuries.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required), the Houston Astros contacted the Sox about trading for Garcia this past summer after their deal to acquire Bryce Harper via trade fell through. The Astros were reportedly going to offer relief pitcher Francis Martes in exchange for Garcia but the deal never materialized after Houston was concerned with the health of the Sox outfielder’s right knee according to Rosenthal.

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With the Sox rumored to be interested in  Harper and reportedly offering Michael Brantley a contract, Garcia’s time with the team could truly be coming to an end. The Sox originally acquired Garcia in a three-time trade that included the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers in exchange for Jake Peavy in 2013.

After missing most of the 2014 season due to injury, Garcia didn’t live up to his potential until 2017. In his first four seasons with the Sox, Garcia never finished a year hitting over .257 when appearing in more than 120 games.

During the 2017 season, however, Garcia had his best year in a Sox uniform and finished with a career-high slash line of .330/.380/.506 with 18 home runs, 80 RBIs and a .885 OPS in 136 games. This past season, Garcia appeared in just 93 games with the Sox and owned a lowly slash line of .236/.281/.438 with 19 home runs and 49 RBIs.

The Sox could be very well moving on from Garcia this offseason. Garcia arrived to the Sox with some hype but outside of one season, never really put it all together to remain in the team’s plans for the future. If the Sox are able to find a trading partner for Garcia, that would be better than allowing him to walk by non-tendering him.

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