Phillies: Potential bullpen options from the 40-man roster

Edgar García showed last year he should get a shot with the Phillies

Edgar García is another reliever who should get an opportunity.

The right-handed pitcher made his major league debut in May 2019, spending most of last season with the big-league squad. He gave up one earned run off of two hits and a walk in his debut inning, but seemed to settle in quickly, giving up just a walk and striking out three through his next two innings.

García’s struggles came all at once last season, giving up more than one earned run in only six games, including a poor outing against the New York Mets on August 30, where he gave up five earned runs in 1.2 innings. He did not give up any runs in 24 of his 37 appearances, including 16 games where he did not surrender a hit.

García finished last season with a 2-0 record, 5.77 ERA and 1.641 WHIP in 37 games and 39 innings with the Phillies.

He also impressed on his rise through the ranks. In 2018, he had a 7-2 record, eight saves, 3.32 ERA and 1.173 WHIP in 47 relief appearances with AA Reading. His debut at AAA Lehigh Valley did not go as well, with a 7.71 ERA in five games, but he did much better last year at Lehigh Valley, with a 2-1 record, eight saves, 2.48 ERA and 0.793 WHIP in 25 relief appearances.

Part of the reason he’s with the extended roster could be his spring training numbers, giving up three earned runs off of eight hits in five innings. But, spring training was a long time ago and he has better stats from games that count.

García’s recent minor league performance and solid major league stats show that he’s ready and worthy of getting an opportunity with the Phillies bullpen, as other relievers continue to struggle.