Luis Garcia has been strong at the plate, with Washington recalling the 23-year-old from Triple-A Rochester earlier this month, where he had 14 hits in 40 at bats..325 average), has recorded 3 doubles, 3 walks, and 6 runs in the last 11 games, with 6 hits in 13 at bats (.462 average) He reached the Final 3 with the Nationals’ top minor league affiliate team and played for more than a month after struggling offensively in his first 100 games and 407 at-bats in the major leagues from late March to early August this season (.259/.293/.362, 13 doubles, 4 triples, 6 home runs, 21 BBs, 51 Ks.).
GM of nuts Mike Rizzo told 106.7 The Fan on Sports Junkies in DC Before his return, Garcia said the trip to Triple-A was a “warmup mission.”
“We wanted him to go out there and learn the routines and learn how to prepare for every game in the big leagues…He’ll be in Triple-A with our hitting coordinator and hitting team. I’ve been working with the coaches and I’ve really embraced it.”I had a good attitude there and saw this as kind of an opportunity to really understand my game in a less competitive environment, and he did a great job there.
“We’re going to see him play second base for us every day in the big leagues in the near future, because we think he’s a big part of the future of this world. He’s only 23 years old and has been able to get a lot of at-bats at the major league level and has had some success. What we need is for him to be consistent, in his game, in his preparation, in the way he attacks. Just be consistent, major leaguer.”
After Garcia returned to the major league club, manager Davey Martinez told reporters, “He went out there and did everything we asked him to do.” “Looks great. He’s playing a lot better, playing hard, coming to the ballpark early, getting all the work done. Really trying to hone in on just one swing. The biggest thing for him is , his batting stance and hand position were changing every day. So we can still work with him to find one particular swing and work on that and get him running consistently. I’m going to check.”
Photo by Kayla Wolf/Getty Images
Garcia had just 2 hits in 22 at-bats (.091/.130/.091) in the first eight games (5 starts), both hits were singles, one walk, and five strikeouts in 23 PA. Martinez said before this weekend’s series opener in Milwaukee that Garcia had a mechanical issue and the team is looking to improve as it plays the final weeks of the 2023 season.
“He’s flying open,” the manager explained. “We’re trying to convey his direction directly to the pitcher. He’s still flying a little bit open and rolling. You know, he’s hitting a lot of ground balls, but that’s because he’s playing baseball. Because he hasn’t continued. He works every day.
“He’s been working hard on everything since he’s been here. He’s been doing really good routines. He’s been doing everything we’ve asked him to do. He’s got hit songs now. I know he’s not out there, but I’m glad he’s actually trying to get out there and compete seriously and actually do what we want to do. The hits are going to come, he. We have to make him understand that it’s good for him to stay in the middle of the field, so he’s going to hit a lot of doubles. to go.”
Martinez, who has returned to the big league team, said Garcia is working with hitting coach Darnell Coles and assistant hitting coach Pat Ressler (also known as “Six”).
“He’s working with Darnell and Six, but we’re going to give him a thorough retraining over the next few weeks so he can come back this winter, feel good about himself and be ready for next spring.” I feel like I can do that.”
Asked about the report he received about Garcia from Triple-A, Martinez said it included everything.
“Every day was different,” he said. “Some days he was going well in the other direction and some days he wasn’t. Now he’s come here and maybe tried a little too hard and is trying to get a strong result. think.
“I want him to relax and focus on staying in the middle of the field.
“Look, I’ve been playing this game a long time,” said the veteran of 16 major league seasons. “Like I told them, there’s nothing wrong with sometimes being inside the baseball field and getting stuck. That’s part of it. All good hitters go through that. Bat. Instead of hitting the ball off the edge and rolling, I’d like to see him stay there and try to hit the ball up the middle from time to time, which would definitely help him.”
Garcia had a great night at bat Saturday at American Family Field, hitting a home run to right-center field in his first encounter. brewerStarter Corbin Burnes hit a one-two cutter low over the center of the plate, hitting 408 feet, his seventh HR of the season.
Garcia K’d swung for the second time and chased a 1-2 sinker out of the zone, but his third at-bat ended in a two-out walk with the bases loaded, and the Nationals were down by five runs by one. Ta. With two outs in the 4th and 8th inning, Garcia hit a timely hit to right field, allowing Jake Al to tie the game and keep the inning alive, but the home team took the lead with Kyle Finnegan’s grand slam. Bottom of the inning, 9-5.
“He played really well today,” Martinez said after the loss, noting that the second baseman also made two defensive range plays up the middle.
“What’s important for him is consistency. Today he played with energy. I’d like to see him do that in the next 10-12 games, or 13 games, whatever it is, but the way he played today. I liked the way he played. He stayed on the ball and worked hard with Sixx and Darnell. He stayed on the ball today, hit a home run, then really stayed on another ball and hit a big base and a walk for us. And an incredible defender who scored some goals and played in midfield. It was amazing. So he had a good day.”
In particular, a walk in a spot where he might have gone too far to make things happen stood out to the manager as a positive sign of Garcia’s growth.
“That’s good. We need more of that. What’s important now is that we know he can do it. What’s important now is consistency. He goes out regularly and does it.” You have to do it. You don’t chase it. Once the ball is in the strike zone, you can hit it. And a lot of our players are like that. You have to narrow down the strike zone a little bit and get the ball in the zone, and they can hit the ball. You put the bat on and hit the ball hard, so if you can do that consistently you can do some damage.”