Luis Garcia Jr. had the best season of his career this year. Now, he's looking to get rewarded for it.
Garcia, 26, is eligible for arbitration this offseason, and at just the right time. He played a substantial role in the New York Yankees ousting the Boston Red Sox in their American League Wild Card matchup, and although he failed to come through against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS, his overall contributions were vital for a Yankees team that needed all the offense it could muster in Aaron Judge's absence.
And the richest team in the AL may need to double down on the investment.
Garcia is projected to be awarded $11 million in his upcoming salary arbitration, according to an MLB Trade Rumors estimate. That number would be nearly double the $6.8 million he received this season, and represents nearly three-quarters of his $15 million in career earnings to date.
Not bad for a guy who was merely being plugged in out of position for a losing ballclub a few months ago.
A so-so middle infielder with the Washington Nationals for most of his career, Garcia broke out in 2024 before taking a step back last season. This season, split between the Nats and Yankees, Garcia posted a career-high 2.8 WAR and .831 OPS. But his offensive production only accelerated his departure from D.C. After exclusively playing shortstop and second base for the first five years of his career, Garcia was stuck at first base by the Nationals. The Yankees, needing offense from that position, executed a trade with the free-falling Nats at the deadline.
Garcia was a moderate success for the Yankees in the regular season, then torched the Red Sox in the first round of the playoffs. He batted .500 with a home run in New York's two-game sweep of Boston. He was a non-factor in the next round against Tampa Bay, however, recording only one hit with three strikeouts in 10 at-bats.
If this season turns out to be a typical one for a blossoming Garcia, he would be a worthy piece for a team that desperately needs to get younger. He's younger than Ben Rice and Austin Wells, and only one year older than Spencer Jones and Anthony Volpe. His middle infield history might even make him a fallback option if second baseman Jazz Chisholm departs in free agency.