With latest blast, García continues breakthrough season

Upon returning to the dugout following his three-run homer Wednesday night, Luis García Jr. approached his manager with a wide smile.

“Before the at-bat, he had mentioned to me to look for a ball up,” García said, via interpreter Octavio Martinez. “And the pitch that I hit out was actually up. So I came back and told him: ‘It was right where you said.’”

It was both the latest example of García’s breakthrough season on the field and the relationship he and Davey Martinez have developed over years, helping make this breakthrough season possible.

No player on the Nationals roster received as much criticism from Martinez this spring as García, who after a disappointing 2023 was told it was time to either step up or risk losing his job. At the time, there was reasoned speculation Trey Lipscomb might soon supplant him at second base.

Five months later, García has a stranglehold on the job and has shown no signs of letting it go. The 24-year-old enters today’s series finale against the Rockies with a .294 batting average (sixth in the National League), 22 doubles, 15 homers, 62 RBIs, 19 stolen bases and a .794 OPS that leads all eligible regulars on the Nats.

“He’s been great,” Martinez said. “I’m not just talking about the hitting. The defense has been a lot better. The baserunning has been a lot better. His overall game has been a lot better. He’s putting the work in.

“I know I was a little bit hard on him in the beginning. But this is all him. He’s done the work, and he’s reaping the benefits right now. I’m going to keep him going. I want him to finish strong the rest of the season. But he’s been great.”

García always had the talent to thrive in the big leagues, but rarely showed it on a consistent basis. The hallmark of his 2024 season, then, has been his continued production. He did struggle through one rough stretch in June, with a .593 OPS. But his OPS both in April and May topped .729. Then he took off in July (.948) and has taken it to another level in August (1.053).

What has been the key to García’s consistency?

“Focus,” he said. “That has helped me tremendously this season. Just stay focused every at-bat. And the approach as well. We’re just trying to hit the ball middle-away with every at-bat.”

There are still 5 1/2 weeks to go, but García has a shot at finishing with a .300 batting average if he keeps this up. He could also join the 20-20 Club if he hits five more homers over the final 35 games.

He insists he’s trying not to think right now about the season as a whole, keeping his mind instead on the particular task at hand each day.

“I don’t focus on that,” he said. “It’s not like I sit down and look at how things are going. I’m trying to finish the season strong, and go out there and have good at-bats and battle. I think it’s something that at the end of the season, when it’s all said and done, I’ll sit down and think about it.”

García’s breakthrough has been years in the making. It required patience on the organization’s part, and a commitment by him to make the adjustments asked of him.

And it’s still up to García to make sure this season isn’t an isolated breakthrough, but rather the start of even bigger things to come.

“He’s young. He’s really young,” Martinez said. “He got here at an early age, but he’s starting to understand who he can be and playing consistent, which is great. That’s all we can ask for: Consistency out of these guys. He’s been doing all the things we’ve asked him to do over the years and is putting together a really good year.”