After breaking through with the Texas Rangers last season, people had their eye on outfielder Adolis Garcia and what he could do for an encore.
Last year, he hit 31 home runs, but since he struck out 31.2 percent of the time, he was about league average (99 wRC+, the average is 100) all things considered.
This year, he has 20 homers and looks unlikely to reach 2021’s total, but he has taken a step forward as a hitter.
He is more mature and his at-bats are more competitive.
His strikeout rate dropped a little, to a slightly more manageable 28.1 percent, and he is slashing .255/.301/.452 with a much better 113 wRC+ in 508 plate appearances.
A perfect proof of his maturation process as a hitter is his current hitting streak.
“Adolis Garcia extends his hitting streak to 20 games. He’s the first Ranger to reach 20 games since Josh Hamilton had a 23-gamer in 2010,” Rangers insider Jared Sandler tweeted.
Adolis Garcia extends his hitting streak to 20 games. He's the first Ranger to reach 20 games since Josh Hamilton had a 23-gamer in 2010.
— Jared Sandler (@JaredSandler) August 24, 2022
An Impressive Streak For A Solid Player
Garcia, however, is already 29 years old, so he is not a hotshot prospect.
He is probably who he is at this point: a hitter with considerable power, and a batter you might consider “streaky”.
His highs, however, are impressive.
During his current 20-game hitting streak, the outfielder is slashing .309/.349/444 with a 129 wRC+.
It would be cool to see him surpass one of the best Rangers hitters in recent history, Hamilton, with 24.
He needs four more games hitting safely.
When the dust settles, Garcia’s average could dip a bit, but his power should increase somewhat, too.
Overall, he is a nice piece to have on a contender, especially for the offense-starved Rangers.
He has settled in as a 3.0-WAR (Wins Above Replacement) player, and that is a starer-caliber player.
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