Texas Rangers: Adolis Garcia cements AL ROTY case with historic home run

Just give Texas Rangers’ outfielder Adolis “El Bombi” Garcia the American League Rookie of the Year award already!

The 28-year-old first-year sensation rocketed his 31st home run of the season into right center at Globe Life Field off the Los Angeles Angels’ Alex Cobb with nobody out in the fifth inning. It was a two-run shot that traveled over 400 feet in distance. Fitting!

Adolis Garcia is now the most prolific rookie in Texas Rangers history

And in one foul (but actually fair) swoop, Adolis Garcia broke the Texas Rangers’ all-time rookie home run record in a single season, as well as the RBI record, both held by Pete Incaviglia since 1986.

What a season it’s been for El Bombi, who emerged out of nowhere to become a flat-out star for the Rangers in 2021. A blistering hot May earned him Rookie of the Month honors in the American League. And while he has cooled off significantly since, he did make the AL All-Star team this year and now has two major Rangers records.

It’s a season that no one saw coming, which makes Garcia’s success all that much more fun to watch.

Oh, and how about his bat flip game? Pretty epic, as well!

Admittedly, the field for AL Rookie of the Year in 2021 is crowded, with many deserving contenders such as Randy Arozarena of the Rays and Ryan Mountcastle of the Orioles, among others.

But have either of those players really enjoyed the kind of sucess Garcia has had this season? Garcia leads both of those players (and all AL rookies) in bWAR this season at 3.8. That’s massive impact for a single player on a team that may not even hit 60 wins when it’s all said and done.

Mountcastle has the stats and Arozarena the winning pedigree, but Adolis Garcia is now in his franchise’s record books after making the All-Star team and being the team’s best offensive player most of the season (with all due respect to Joey Gallo).

It’s been a storybook season for Garcia, and a campaign he’s unlikely to repeat in years to come. So let’s reward him for the outstanding year he’s had, record breaking and all.

Adolis Garcia: the new most prolific rookie in Texas Rangers history!