By Valentina MartinezShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThree former Los Angeles Dodgers players have signed with the same National League rival ahead of the 2026 season.
Longtime Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes, closer Craig Kimbrel, and reliever Luis Garcia have all joined the New York Mets this winter.
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Barnes was designated for assignment by the Dodgers last May in order to make room for top catching prospect Dalton Rushing. The veteran backstop was used sparingly to start the 2025 season as he recorded just 44 plate appearances with the Dodgers.
"Obviously, Austin has been a huge part of this organization for a long time, he's been in the middle of a lot of really big moments for us," president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said at the time. "His impact has been significant. So it was one of the harder decisions."
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Kimbrel spent the 2022 season with the Dodgers, sporting a 3.75 ERA across 60 innings pitched. Barnes and Kimbrel were teammates during the closer's short stint in LA and will once again be members of the same team this season in Queens.
Garcia spent part of the 2025 season with the Dodgers amid their bullpen injury crisis. The right-hander produced a 5.27 ERA across 27.1 innings pitched. The Dodgers DFA'd Garcia at the end of June.
Will the New York Mets be a Contender in 2026?
The Mets added Barnes and Kimbrel on minor league contracts this offseason, while Garcia signed a one-year big league deal with the club.
The NL powerhouse is set to have a solid 2026 season after a complete revamp of the roster. The winter began with several subtractions for the Mets, but the organization has since landed Bo Bichette and traded for outfielder Luis Robert Jr. and starting pitcher Freddy Peralta.
Those three offseason moves alone have put the Mets back on track to make a playoff run in 2026.
Watch out, World Series champion Dodgers.
More news: Dodgers Projected to Exclude 1.33 ERA Pitcher From Opening-Day Rotation
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