The Angels executed a swap of relievers on Thursday, sending left-hander Jose Alvarez to the Phillies in exchange for right-hander Luis Garcia.
Garcia, 31, logged a 6.07 ERA over 46 innings in 59 relief appearances for the Phillies in 2018. Some of his peripheral numbers were far more encouraging, as he averaged 10 strikeouts per nine innings and recorded a 3.51 FIP.
• Hot Stove Tracker
Garcia, who averaged 98 mph on his fastball this past season, profiles as a potential back-end arm for the Angels, who non-tendered erstwhile closer Richard Parker last week. Garcia has enjoyed success in the Majors in the past, as he posted a 2.65 ERA over 71 1/3 innings for the Phillies in 2017. In parts of six seasons in Philadelphia, Garcia pitched to a 4.12 ERA in 251 games.
To land Garcia, the Angels had to part with Alvarez, who had emerged as their most effective left-handed reliever in recent years. The 29-year-old was coming off his best season to date, logging a 2.71 ERA over 63 innings for the Angels in 2018. In his four seasons in Anaheim, Alvarez registered a 3.35 ERA in 270 relief appearances.
Alvarez's departure leaves rookie Williams Jerez as the only left-handed reliever on the Angels' 40-man roster. Jerez, who was acquired from the Red Sox as part of the Ian Kinsler trade, recorded a 6.00 ERA over 15 innings after debuting with the Angels in August.
Garcia and Alvarez are both entering their second year of arbitration and are projected to earn $1.7 million next year, according to MLB Trade Rumors. Both will be under team control for two more years.