RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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CHICAGO — The New York Yankees, in need of a bat, are acquiring Luis García Jr. from the Washington Nationals, a source confirmed to the New York Daily News on Sunday.
The hope is that García will give the Yankees’ injury-riddled offense a boost. The second-place club is currently without Aaron Judge (fractured rib), Giancarlo Stanton (multiple calf strains) and Cody Bellinger (hamstring strain), and it’s unclear when the first two will return. Bellinger, meanwhile, was given a 4-6-week timeline after going on the injured list last weekend.
The Yankees have had one of baseball’s worst offenses since Judge last played on May 31. With a date yet to be set for the slugger’s latest round of reimaging, it was imperative that the Yankees brought in some help.
García, born in New York City but raised in the Dominican Republic, should be able to provide that, as he has a would-be career-high .283 average and .873 OPS this season. Not one to strike out, the hard-hitting infielder has also set personal bests with 23 homers and 76 RBI, and he led the National League with a .560 slugging percentage.
That said, García is an imperfect fit for the desperate Yankees as a left-handed hitter with a .627 OPS against southpaws this season. He’s also exclusively played first base with the Nats this year after recording -17 Defensive Runs Saved as a second baseman in 2025. The Yankees already have two exclusive first basemen in Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt, and Stanton is only a designated hitter.
With García in the mix, he can play first base against righties with fellow lefty Rice as the DH. Goldschmidt, a right-handed hitter, can play against left-handers, and the Yankees can sort their puzzle pieces as they see fit whenever Stanton, another righty, returns.
Aaron Boone said Sunday that Stanton is going to participate in live batting practice sessions with Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. However, running had been his biggest obstacle since going on the injured list in late April.
Now in his seventh big league season, García owns a lifetime .732 OPS. The 26-year-old, whose father briefly played for the Tigers in 1999, is making $6.88 million this year. The former top-100 prospect won’t reach free agency until 2028, giving the Yankees another young bat with some control.
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