Deivi Garcia pitched three strong innings on Sunday, allowing one unearned run on one hit and two walks (with two strikeouts) against most of what will be Toronto’s “A” lineup. A throwing error by Greg Allen had as much to do with the run as Garcia’s pitching, but even if he knew he wasn’t perfect, Garcia took two big positives out of the outing.
“I felt really good. Health is primary, and I felt healthy. My command wasn’t where I expect it to be, but I was able to make some adjustments and be more active on the inside part of the plate,” Garcia said through team interpreter Marlon Abreu after the game. “It definitely helps facing what could be their regular lineup. I faced a lot of those guys last year, but I think it’s a plus; it gives you a little experience and a first look at what they’ll have during the season.”
“Deivi didn’t have his real good command today but I liked the adjustments has was able to make, to self-correct when his delivery maybe got a little out of whack and make some big pitches when he needed to,” manager Aaron Boone added. “That’s some of the progress we’ve seen with him. Another good work day, pretty good job.”
Garcia is ostensibly fighting Domingo German, who starts Monday, for the final spot in the Yankees’ rotation, and while they won’t tell you so, the Yankees’ ideal situation is likely German winning the job and Garcia going to the alternate site, where his workload can be managed early in the season.
However, Garcia is making a strong case to stick around, even as German is unscored upon with seven strikeouts in two spring starts (five innings) so far, and he’s not fazed by any possibilities.
“I try to give the best I have every time I go out there,” Garcia said of his spring mindset. “I ask a lot of myself and try to improve every time I go out there. If you keep doing that, little by little, you can state your case. You come to camp and you understand possibilities and get excited, but it’s not a decision I can make. I just want to give the best I have throughout the process, and not forget to enjoy it.”
“Deivi’s aggressiveness is his biggest strength, and he’s pretty fearless out there,” Mike Tauchman, who played behind Garcia Sunday, added. “Every time I’ve seen him, he’s come out and attacked hitters, and he doesn’t let things phase him. He looked great.”
Garcia learned a lot from his big-league cameo last year, and also learned a lot while playing some limited winter ball this offseason, where he tinkered a bit with his mechanics and mindset.
“Overall, I just wanted to work on all my pitches. I have to be more effective, sharper; that was key for me this winter,” Garcia said. “And one thing I learned from last year was how to execute certain pitches in certain situations. When I came up and had guys in a count I could put them away, I was looking to strike them out, but I wanted to make certain adjustments, so I could get weak contact in certain situations and have another way to put guys away without limiting my pitch count. That’s important.”
So far, so good, and if it keeps up, Boone and the Yankees will have a tough decision to make in two weeks.
“I’m really excited about where both guys are, and I think the entire staff would have tremendous confidence with either one of them the ball in any situation, in any game,” Boone said Sunday. “I feel like we’re in a pretty good place as far as where potential starting pitching is and where our starting pitching depth is. The bottom line is we know we’re going to lean on all of them. It’s a long season and I really feel like both those guys are going to be counted on in big ways. So let’s just continue to see it play out, and hopefully, when we’re making the roster for the starters, we will have a difficult decision.”
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