Rangers Acquire LHP Robert Garcia from Washington for 1B Nathaniel Lowe

Arlington, Texas — The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has acquired left-handed pitcher Robert Garcia from Washington in exchange for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe.

Garcia, 28, went 3-6 with a 4.22 ERA (28 ER/59.2 IP) over a career-high 72 games – all in relief – for the Nationals last season, tied for the 5th-most appearances of all MLB left-handed pitchers in 2024. He ranked among club relievers in strikeouts per 9.0 (1st, 11.31), appearances (2nd), strikeouts (2nd, 75), and innings (4th), and limited opponents to a .237/.288/.323/.611 (55-232) slash line – including .226/.291/.301/.592 (21-93) and one home run against opposing left-handed batters.

The southpaw finished in the top-10 of MLB left-handed relievers last season (min. 50.0 IP) in strikeouts per 9.0 (7th) and home runs allowed per 9.0 (10th, 0.60). His 11.31 strikeouts per 9.0 figure was the 2nd-highest by a qualified left-handed reliever over a single season in Nationals history (beg. 2005), trailing only Sean Doolittle’s 2018 campaign (12.00 SO/9).

The Manteca, Calif. native has seen Major League action in each of the last two seasons (beg. 2023), totaling a 5-8 record and 4.03 ERA (41 ER/91.2 IP) across 97 relief appearances for Miami (2023) and Washington (2023-24). 96 of his 97 career MLB appearances have come as a National, as his lone game pitched for the Marlins was his Major League debut on July 14, 2023 at Baltimore (0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R). He was claimed off waivers by Washington from Miami on Aug. 1, 2023.

Garcia was originally selected by Kansas City in the 15th round of the 2017 MLB Draft from the University of California, Davis. He has tallied 353 strikeouts over 303.0 career minor league innings spanning parts of seven seasons in the Kansas City (2017-21), Miami (2022-23), and Washington (2023-24) organizations.

Lowe, 29, batted .274/.359/.432/.791 (618-2259) with 78 home runs and 299 RBI in 615 games across four seasons with Texas (beg. 2021). The left-handed-hitting first baseman debuted with Tampa Bay in 2019 after being selected by the Rays in the 13th round of the 2016 MLB Draft from Mississippi State University and was acquired by the Rangers in a 6-player trade on Dec. 10, 2020.

Following today’s transaction, the Rangers remain at the 40-man limit on the club’s Major League roster.