Pirates sign lefty reliever Jarlin Garcia, right-hander Vince Velasquez
The Pittsburgh Pirates went to the Winter Meetings in search of pitching, and they agreed to terms with a pair of veterans.
The Pirates signed lefty reliever Jarlin Garcia for $2.5 million in 2023, with a club option at $3.25 million for 2024, and right-hander Vince Velasquez to a one-year deal worth $3.15 million, a source confirmed to the Tribune-Review. Both deals are pending physicals.
Garcia, a 6-foot-3, 215-pounder from the Dominican Republic who is nicknamed “The Elephant,” turns 30 on Jan. 18. He is 17-15 with a 3.61 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in six major-league seasons, three each with Miami and San Francisco.
Garcia was 1-4 with a 3.74 ERA and 1.20 WHIP and one save in 65 innings over 58 appearances last season for the Giants, striking out 58 with 18 walks. His repertoire features a four-seam fastball, which he throws 43% of the time, a changeup and slider. Garcia became a free agent last month, when he was nontendered by the Giants entering his final year or arbitration eligibility.
Velasquez, 30, is a 6-3, 212-pounder who is 34-37 with a 4.93 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in eight seasons with Houston, Philadelphia, San Diego and the Chicago White Sox. He is averaging 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings and 3.6 walks in 136 career starts. Velasquez started nine times in 27 appearances last season for the White Sox, going 3-3 with a 4.78 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with 69 strikeouts and 25 walks while allowing 11 home runs.
Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com.
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