Yanks turn to Garcia for ALDS Game 2 start

On Tuesday, Deivi Garcia gets to weave his name into the fabric of the most historic franchise in sports.

At just 21 years old, baseball’s No. 87 overall prospect is set to start Game 2 of the American League Division Series and, in doing so, will become the Yankees' youngest postseason starter when New York matches up with Tampa Bay at Petco Park in San Diego.

“Super excited,” García said of his reaction to the news through an interpreter. “When they finally told me that I was going to get the ball for Game 2, what can I say? Just so excited about it and very thankful for the opportunity.”

New York’s No. 3 prospect will be making his seventh start in the Major Leagues on Tuesday. In six outings during the regular season, García had his share of ups and downs, going 3-2 with a 4.98 ERA. His manager saw enough to believe in.

“Deliberated on that obviously a lot over the last several days which means [Masahiro Tanaka] will now go in Game 3,” Aaron Boone told the media prior to Monday's Game 1 against the Rays. “It just felt like slotting in Deivi in between Cole and ‘Masa’ was the way we wanted to go.”

García's final four outings were a fitting microcosm of his big league time. The righty went seven strong innings in back-to-back starts against Toronto on Sept. 9 and 15, earning wins in both. On Sept. 20, he was rocked in Boston, allowing six runs on eight hits over three innings. García rebounded to pick up a victory over Miami in his final start of the regular season, giving up four runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.

“I think the way he’s pitched, one, and the way he’s handled himself and handled every situation so far, I just felt like (there were) a lot of good options there, ways we could’ve gone," Boone said. "I don’t worry about him not being able to handle it mentally, emotionally and all those things. I know he’s looking forward to it.”

Signed by the Yankees out of his native Dominican Republic in 2015, García posted a career 3.37 ERA over 65 Minor League games (57 starts). Last season, the Bonao, Dominican Republic native amassed a 4.28 ERA in 26 outings (21 starts) between Class A Advanced Tampa, Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre en route to being named an MiLB.com Organization All-Star.

García struggled in three games worth of Minor League postseason experience. He made two appearances -- one start -- for Rookie Advanced Pulaski in the Appalachian League Championship Series in 2017 and also hurled one rough frame last year for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in which he was tagged for five runs in the International League semifinials.

MiLB playoffs were not kind to Garcia in a super small sample. Game 2 will be his second ever playoff start as a professional https://t.co/zvjJ6R8N72 pic.twitter.com/VBhLMU3WfV

— Andrew Battifarano (@AndrewAtBatt) October 5, 2020

“It’s been a journey of preparing myself and doing everything I can to improve as a player and keep improving every day,” García said. I was hoping for an opportunity to get a chance to get into a game like this, at this level, especially now in the playoffs. I enjoy the competition like I’ve said before. Very excited.”

García got the news Monday from Boone and pitching coach Matt Blake.

“It means a lot to me,” the young hurler said. “It’s a moment that has brought me a lot of excitement. My family is going to be watching in the Dominican Republic, supporting me from over there. Like I said, it means a lot to get the ball in such an important game. It’s going to be exciting.”

Until García throws his first pitch Tuesday, the Yankees' mark for youngest postseason starter will belong to Hall of Famer Whitey Ford, who pitched Game 4 of the 1950 World Series against the Phillies at 21 years and 356 days. García is just 21 years and 140 days old.

But he's mature enough to have learned from the start Boston that went awry.

“When you go through the experience of going through a game that doesn’t go the way you want, I’ve said before, there’s always something to learn from it,” García said. “That’s what’s really important about it, understanding what did not go your way, how you can improve from it and put it in practice in your next start. I think that’s something I’ve been able to do throughout my career that keeps helping me every day.”