Yimi García is a 35-year-old, right-handed relief pitcher.
The Blue Jays signed him to a two-year contract before the 2022 season, but then traded him to the Mariners in July of 2024, getting Jacob Sharp, a minor league catcher who hit .161/.271/.206 for the Fisher Cats last year, and Jonatan Clase, who we talked about a few days ago.
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Then, the Jays signed him as a free agent again, in December of 2024, giving him $7.5 million a year for two years.
2025 didn’t go well for him. He went on the IL with right-shoulder impingement at the end of May, returned to the team on July 2nd, and then went on the IL again on July 5th, missing the rest of the season.
In the moments he was on the active roster, he pitched in 22 games, with a 3.86 ERA, 3 saves and 6 holds (he has 58 in his time with the Jays, and 90 in his career).
Yimi is one of those rare relievers who throws a lot of pitches. In 2024 he threw six pitcher:
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Four Seamer: 37.3% of the time, 96.5 mph.
It seems like a lot of pitches for a guy who has only made one start in his career. Generally, relievers (and their pitching coaches) will pick their two or three pitches most effective pitches and go with those. By wOBA, the Sweeper was his most effective pitch in 2024, in 2025 it was the curve.
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Yimi was as good against lefty batters (.162/.279/.270) as righties (.179/.304/.256). In his career he’s been a fair bit better against RHB (.620 OPS, vs .719).
Steamer doesn’t think Yimi’s injury issues are going to carry over to 2026. It expects Garcia to pitch in 60 games, with a 3.60 ERA, 4 saves and 11 holds.
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