Five things to know about new Phillies outfielder Adolis García, from his defection to his light bulb-shaped head
García, who made a name for himself during the 2023 postseason and has made baseball a family affair, has an interesting nickname.
The Phillies, who re-signed slugger Kyle Schwarber last week, made their first big free agent addition of the offseason Monday, agreeing with outfielder Adolis García on a one-year deal worth $10 million.
Here are five things to know about the newest Phillie …
García defected from Cuba
García ultimately charted his path through professional baseball by first playing in Japan for Nippon Profession Baseball’s Yomiuri Giants. On his return flight to Cuba, which connected through Paris, García instead disembarked and boarded a flight bound for the Dominican Republic, where he lived for six months to establish residency and to become an international free agent in 2017. He signed with the Cardinals for $2.5 million.
García appeared in 21 games for St. Louis in 2018, and then was traded to the Texas Rangers in 2019. In his 2021 rookie season with Texas, García appeared in 149 games for the Rangers — he had only played a total of 24 games prior — and made the American League All-Star team, finishing fourth in rookie of the year voting.
» READ MORE: Adolis García could be the new Nick Castellanos, and he looks the part. Uncomfortably so. | David Murphy
He’s a playoff riser
If you’re familiar with García already, it’s probably because of his postseason performance for the Rangers in 2023, the year Texas won the World Series, a series the Phillies were one win from reaching before losing two straight to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Garcia, who was named MVP of that year’s American League Championship Series, is a confident player who loves the big stage.
“These types of games, when there’s a lot of emotions, the fans out there, they are rallying for their team, it fuels me,” García told Fox Sports. “It’s motivation that helps me out when I’m playing.”
Former Ranger teammate Marcus Semien, who García now joins in the National League East, said the outfielder was the most confident teammate he’d ever had.
“I think so,” Semien told Fox Sports. “He’s got the swag to go with it. It’s just so good for young players to watch him and how he plays with such confidence to just boost up everybody else. I think a lot of young players could learn from that guy.”
El Bombi 💡
García’s nickname is El Bombi, which, according to the Dallas Morning News, originated in childhood in Cuba, thanks to a friend who thought his head represented a light bulb, or a “bombillo.”
Baseball is a family affair
His older brother, Adonis García, played in MLB with the Atlanta Braves from 2015-2017. His father also played professionally in Cuba.
» READ MORE: The Phillies are sticking with a veteran core in 2026. But this time the kids have to play too.
García is the godfather …
… to Randy Arozarena’s daughter.
García and current Mariners outfielder Arozarena defected from Cuba around the same time. They didn’t know each other well in Cuba, but became close friends in the Cardinals’ minor league system.
“Adolis is kind of like my brother,” Arozarena told The Athletic. “So much (so) that I named him the godfather of my daughter.”