ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers acquired left-handed reliever Robert Garcia from the Washington Nationals in a trade Sunday for past Gold Glove and Silver Slugger first baseman Nathaniel Lowe.
Garcia had 75 strikeouts and only 16 walks in 59 2/3 innings over 72 appearances for the Nationals last season.
Texas is parting with Lowe after acquiring slugging corner infielder Jake Burger from Miami for three minor league players during the winter meetings less than two weeks ago.
Lowe hit .265 with 16 homers and 69 RBIs this year for the Rangers, and ranked sixth in the American League with 71 walks. He hit .302 in 2022, then was a Gold Glove winner during the team’s World Series championship season in 2023.
The Nationals were in need of a first baseman and a middle-of-the-order bat, and this deal represents general manager Mike Rizzo’s first acquisition this offseason of a hitter with a track record.
Rizzo’s only other significant signing this offseason was free-agent pitcher Michael Soroka to a $9 million contract for 2025.
Washington is coming off a 71-91 record, its fifth consecutive losing season since winning the 2019 World Series. No players remain from that year’s club.
The Rangers were World Series champions in 2023, but missed the playoffs this year.
Lowe, 29, is eligible for salary arbitration for the first time this offseason after making $7.5 million this year. He is a .272 career hitter in 686 career games since his big league debut in 2019 with Tampa Bay, which traded him to Texas four years ago.
The 28-year-old Garcia is under team control through the 2029 season.
Garcia has 97 career appearances, all over the last two seasons, and all but one of those games for the Nationals. He pitched in one game for Miami in 2023 before getting selected off waivers by Washington.
Texas acquired Garcia two days after signing free agent lefty reliever Hoby Milner to a $2.5 million, one-year contract. The sidearm thrower, who turns 34 next month, grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area watching the Rangers and still lives there.
The Rangers also during the winter meetings signed 31-year-old right-hander Jacob Webb to a $1.25 million contract. He set career highs with Baltimore last season with 56 2/3 innings pitched and 58 strikeouts while going 2-5 with two saves and a 3.02 ERA in 60 appearances. He is 12-10 with six saves and a 2.98 ERA in 192 career games.
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AP National Writer Howard Fendrich contributed to this report.
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