White Sox Claim Onelki Garcia Off Waivers

While the Dodgers were busy adding Zach Lee, Chris Reed and Scott Schebler to their 40-man roster to protect them from the December 11th Rule 5 Draft, the White Sox claimed left-handed reliever Onelki Garcia off waivers from the Dodgers.

Garcia didn’t pitch at all in 2014 after being disabled and recovering from right knee surgery in 2014. Onelki also underwent arthroscopic left elbow surgery last offseason.

The last time Onelki Garcia pitched in a game was during a rehab assignment for the Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes at the end of August. The outing wasn’t great as the southpaw allowed two runs to come home. The Cuban pitcher did make his Major League debut with the Dodgers on September 11, 2014, and he pitched in 3 games for the Dodgers that season. He walked 4 batters, struck out 1 and allowed 1 hit in his 1 1/3 innings of Major League work.

Garcia was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2012 draft, and he went on to pitch in 37 minor league games from the Dodgers from 2012-2014. With a promising season with the Double-A Lookouts in 2013, Garcia struck out 53 batters over 52 1/3 innings with Chattanooga.

The Dodgers were trying to outright Garcia to triple-A Oklahoma City without being claimed off waivers, but the Chicago White Sox once again went for another Dodger reliever. Ironically, Chicago had to designate former Dodger reliever Ronald Belisario for assignment to make room for Garcia. They White Sox also had previously signed former Dodger reliever Ramon Troncoso during the 2012 offseason. Javy Guerra was also claimed off waivers by the White Sox in March.

Perhaps we will see Onelki Garcia again when the White Sox and Dodgers share the Camelback Ranch facilities during Spring Training.

Onelki once was said to have the best curveball in the Dodgers’ system.

The Dodgers now have 39 players on their 40-man roster after the additions of Lee, Reed and Schebler. They could add one more player to the roster in order to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft in December if desired.