The Braves released third baseman Adonis Garcia on Wednesday in accordance with his desire to play in South Korea next season, the team announced.
Garcia, 32, faced an uphill battle to secure a bench spot. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last month that the Braves had discussed releasing Garcia, but no agreement was imminent at that time.
The veteran hit .237 in 52 games last season after missing most of the season with a torn ligament in his left ring finger. Garcia slashed .267/.300/.414 with 29 homers in his past three seasons.
Garcia played in the Cuban National Series from 2004-11. He joined the Braves in 2015 after three seasons in the Yankees system.
Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos has repeatedly preached his emphasis on defense, almost assuring Garcia wouldn’t fit his vision for the roster.
The Braves added utilityman Charlie Culberson in a trade with the Dodgers and also re-signing utilityman Danny Santana to a minor league contarct. While Garcia provided some power, his bat didn’t override his defensive deficiencies.
Marcos Grunfeld of Sports Venezuela reported Dec. 27 that Garcia would sign with the LG Twins of the Korean Baseball Organization, which was contingent upon release from his Braves contract.
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