For the first time in nearly two years, Deivi Garcia is back with the Yankees.
The former top prospect was called up on Wednesday for his sixth stint in the major leagues, but this one is his first as a reliever.
After a rough 2022 in which he accrued a 6.89 ERA and spent the whole season in the minor leagues, the 23-year-old Garcia has made the transition to a full-time reliever who can offer some length in the bullpen, which is what the Yankees were in need of on Wednesday.
“[Relieving is] probably the best avenue for him to be successful,” manager Aaron Boone said before the series finale against the Athletics. “I think there’s a chance he could thrive in this role and that’s what we’re hoping to see in making this transition.”
Before being recalled on Wednesday, after reliever Greg Weissert was optioned to Triple-A on Tuesday night, Garcia had recorded a 4.50 ERA across 10 appearances and 20 innings this season for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
His command has been an issue, with 16 walks, including walking multiple batters in six of his 10 outings.
“Stuff’s been good,” Boone said. “Up and down a little bit. He’s had some really good outings, he’s had some where it’s been a little bit of a scuffle. Coming off of what was a pretty strong spring, for the most part we’ve seen that uptick in his stuff, especially from last year, where it was really up and down. The ability to give us a little bit of length is welcome.”
While Garcia once garnered comparisons to Pedro Martinez during his quick rise through the Yankees’ farm system, his delivery has caused him some trouble along the way in being able to repeat it consistently.
“Just really ironing out his delivery so that it’s a little bit more repeatable, that’s going to lend itself to consistency,” Boone said. “We’ve seen over the last couple years his stuff fluctuate, where it was really down to back up. For the most part, really since the start of spring, his stuff has been good. Hopefully this role lends itself to that.”
Garcia, who last pitched for the Yankees on May 29, 2021, is in his final season of having minor league options.
