Texas Rangers: Adolis Garcia’s 2022 season proving breakout 2021 was no fluke

People had their doubts, including Texas Rangers fans, about whether dynamic outfielder Adolis Garcia could repeat his breakout rookie season in 2021 as a second-year player in 2022.  He has quelled those doubts pretty easily.

With 15 home runs and a .786 OPS heading into Sunday’s game against the Washington Nationals, “El Bombi” is on pace to eclipse the 31 homers he swatted in 2021, the year that made him an All-Star. He also has 11 stolen bases, putting him on a potential pace for a 30-30 season, a feat not seen on the Rangers since Ian Kinsler back in 2011.

And as far as his flair for the dramatic goes? Yeah, Garcia still has that too.

Adolis Garcia silencing the doubters who thought his 2021 season with the Texas Rangers was a fluke

The 29-year-old is who you would call a “late-bloomer”, as he burst onto the scene as a 28-year-old rookie last year. His advanced age made some question if Garcia would be too old to form part of a future winning core in Texas, but his ability to keep playing at a high level means the Rangers should keep him around. This is especially true given that the organization isn’t exactly a hotbed of outfield talent right now.

Garcia won’t wow you with his on-base skills, with a career OBP of .285 (also an indicator of his free-swinging tendencies), though he has improved his plate discipline in 2022, a positive sign going forward. His big-time power, elite defense and speed on the base paths have all more than made up for the lack of on-base skills.

He’s also a fan-favorite for the way he plays the game with energy and swag (his bat flips are something to behold!). Having that energy on the field can change the dynamic on the field and in the stadium, aspects which can’t be quantified in statistics.

Sure, “El Bombi” will never be Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper or Aaron Judge, but you’d be remiss to say you wouldn’t want to have Adolis Garcia on your team. He’s proving to us in 2022 that 2021 could’ve been just the tip of the iceberg.