CHICAGO – Luis García Jr. is still dealing with a sore right wrist, so that means Darren Baker gets to start his first major league game tonight, in a ballpark very familiar to the rookie infielder.
Baker will start at second base for the Nationals in their series opener against the Cubs, the first time he’s had a chance to be in the lineup since making his big league debut earlier this month. That it happens to be taking place at Wrigley Field, where two decades ago his father managed for four seasons, was coincidence and fortuitous timing. But it nevertheless makes for a nice moment for the 25-year-old.
“It just kind of happened,” manager Davey Martinez said. “After last night, with Luis still sore, I said Darren’s going to play second today. I wanted to give him an opportunity. And if Luis doesn’t get better, I might (continue to) let him play second against righties.”
García has dealt with a sore wrist at multiple points during the season, and it got worse when he took a swing in the third inning of Tuesday night’s game against the Mets. He departed an inning later and sat out Wednesday’s game as well.
The Nationals were hopeful García would be ready to return tonight, but Martinez described the condition of his wrist as “the same” as it has been. At this late stage of the season, they won’t take any chances.
José Tena started in García’s place Wednesday in New York against left-hander Jose Quintana, with Ildemaro Vargas at third base. With right-hander Javier Assad on the mound for the Cubs tonight, Martinez decided to move Tena back to third tonight and give Baker the start at second.
It’s the rookie’s first career start after five previous occasions in which he came off the bench, four of those in blowout losses. He notched his first double Wednesday night late in the Nats’ 10-0 loss and is now 2-for-5 at the plate as a major leaguer.
This will be an entirely different situation for Baker.
“I told him: ‘Just be where your feet are, and understand what you’re trying to do each play,’” Martinez said. “‘Know the situations. And go out and have fun.’ He’s getting an opportunity here to play for the first time in the major leagues, which is pretty awesome.”
Especially because it’s taking place at Wrigley Field. Baker is no stranger to this ballpark, having spent some of the formative years of his life here while his father, Dusty, managed the Cubs from 2003-06. He even served as the guest conductor for the seventh inning stretch as a 4-year-old on May 4, 2003, leading the crowd in “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” as his mother, Melissa, held him up from the press box.
Twenty-one years later, Baker will get to watch the nightly tradition from his perch at second base as he warms up for the bottom of the seventh. He can only hope he makes a new Wrigley memory on the field.
“There’s going to be situations that arise during the game,” Martinez said. “Just understand what you want to do at any particular moment. He’s a good baseball player. He understands the game. I mean, he grew up in a baseball family. I just want him to go out there and have fun, not put pressure on himself. Just go out there and try to help us win a game.”