The Kansas City Royals continue to surge. With Thursday’s 6-4 win over the Texas Rangers, they moved to just two games back of the final American League Wild Card spot. They are now 66-62 on the season after having been buyers at the trade deadline. They’ve been an interesting team this year, and they have found their way back into contention after it looked as though they would be sellers at the deadline. The veteran additions they made have helped the team fight its way back into the race.
The team has watched several key players step up this year. They’ve had Noah Cameron emerge as their best starting pitcher, but he isn’t the only one to have stepped into a larger role. Kris Bubic is out for the season, but on the offensive side, third baseman Maikel Garcia has stepped up. He was an All-Star for the first time this season.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic recently made a list of every contending team’s most indispensable “under-the-radar” player, and for the Royals, it was Garcia who was named as a player who is overlooked at times.
“He’s not under the radar in Kansas City and he did make the AL All-Star team, but Garcia hasn’t gotten enough national acclaim, so I decided to give him the love he deserves,” Bowden wrote on Friday.
“He played all over the field for the Royals this season before becoming their everyday third baseman. Defensively, he ranks in the 97th percentile in outs above average (range) and in 78th percentile in arm strength. Offensively, he is in the 92nd percentile in xBA and in the 97th percentile in squared-up rate. He rarely chases out of the strike zone, makes consistent sweet-spot contact, creates traffic and moves the chains. To me, Garcia is one of the most underrated players in the sport.”
Garcia is hitting .300/.361/.468 with 12 home runs, 56 RBI, 22 stolen bases, a 4.2 WAR, an .829 OPS and a 130 OPS+ this season with Kansas City. He is one of the main reasons the Royals still find themselves in contention.
The 25-year-old has entrenched himself as the team’s starting third baseman and has become a true under-the-radar star. Bobby Witt Jr. rightfully gets most of the attention, but Garcia can’t be overlooked as the Royals try to secure a playoff berth.
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