Luis Heibardo García (born December 13, 1996) is a
Venezuelan
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
for the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB). García signed with the Astros as an international
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
in 2017, and made his MLB debut in 2020.
Career
Minor leagues
Luis García signed with the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
as an international
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
on July 2, 2017. He spent the 2017–2019 seasons in
Minor League Baseball with the
DSL Astros
The Dominican Summer League Astros, or DSL Astros, is a minor league baseball team of the Dominican Summer League, and a Rookie-level affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Boca Chica, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. From 201 ...
,
Quad Cities River Bandits
The Quad Cities River Bandits are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Their home games are played at Modern Woodmen Park (formerly John O'Donnell Stadium) in Davenport, Iowa, one ...
,
Tri-City ValleyCats
The Tri-City ValleyCats (often shortened to Cats) are a professional independent baseball team based in Troy, New York. The Tri-City name refers to the three nearby cities of Albany, Schenectady, and Troy which make up New York State's Capital D ...
, and
Fayetteville Woodpeckers
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and play their home games at Segra Stadium. From 2017 to 201 ...
.
Houston Astros
Major league debut (2020)
García was called up to the majors for the first time on August 29,
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
. He made his
major league debut on September 4, 2020, against the
Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
.
In 2020, García had a
win–loss record
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
(W–L) of 0–1 with a 2.92
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) in
innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
(IP) over the course of five games (one start).
García made his
postseason
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
debut in Game 5 of the
American League Championship Series
The American League Championship Series (ALCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the two winners of the American ...
(ALCS) against the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
. He pitched two scoreless innings in a
bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
game that the Astros went on to win.
Rookie season (2021)
García played his first full major league season for the Astros in
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
. He appeared in 30 games, starting 28, and registered innings pitched. He posted an 11–8 win–loss record with a 3.48 ERA, and 167
strikeouts
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
,
[ ranking third on the club in innings pitched and second in strikeouts. García led AL rookie pitchers in ]Wins Above Replacement
Wins Above Replacement or Wins Above Replacement Player, commonly abbreviated to WAR or WARP, is a non-standardized sabermetric baseball statistic developed to sum up "a player's total contributions to his team". A player's WAR value is claimed to ...
(WAR, 3.1), wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. His strikeout total trailed only Tom Griffin in 1969
This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon.
Events January
* January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco.
* January 5
**Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...
with 200 for most among rookies in franchise history. García was the eighth Astros rookie pitcher with at least eleven wins. Following the regular season, the Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) is a professional association for journalists writing about Major League Baseball for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying websites. The organization was founded in 1908, and is known fo ...
(BBWAA) named García as the Astros' Rookie of the Year. He finished second to Randy Arozarena
Randy Arozarena González (born February 28, 1995) is a Cuban-Mexican professional baseball outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2020, Arozarena set the MLB record ...
of Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater in ...
in the American League Rookie of the Year
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to two outstanding rookie players, one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL), as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). The aw ...
balloting, receiving two first-place votes.
In the postseason, García struggled initially, losing both of his first two starts (Game 3 of the ALDS
In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring ea ...
and Game 2 of the ALCS
The American League Championship Series (ALCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the two winners of the American ...
) while failing to get past the third inning in each. However, he adjusted his mechanics and started Game 6 on October 22 which resulted in a gem; in innings, he struck out seven with one walk and one hit while helping to shut out the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. The lone hit was yielded to the final batter, Kike Hernandez. Thus, García tied the club record for the longest number of innings pitched without allowing a hit in postseason history, equaling Brandon Backe
Brandon Allen Backe (; born April 5, 1978) is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Houston Astros during his career, and appeared in the 2005 World Series as a member of the Astros.
Origin ...
's performance in the 2004 NLDS
The 2004 National League Division Series (NLDS), the opening round of the 2004 National League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 5, and ended on Monday, October 11, with the champions of the three NL divisions—along with a "wild card" team— ...
. Garcia's start was also the second-longest no-hit bid by a rookie (after Michael Wacha
Michael Joseph Wacha (; born July 1, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. He played co ...
in 2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
) and the most by an AL rookie pitcher. That night, the Astros prevailed 5–0 to defeat the Red Sox and win the American League pennant.
Garcia started Game 3 of the World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
. He went innings while allowing one run on three hits, four walks, and six strikeouts in a 2–0 loss to the Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
; he is the fifth pitcher to have that many strikeouts with one earned run allowed in four innings or less and first since Rich Hill.
2022
On May 6, 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, García matched a career-high with nine strikeouts versus the Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
, going seven innings, allowing two hits, one earned run, and earning the win in a 3–2 final score. He retired the final 15 batters faced and, at one point, five consecutive via strikeout. On May 29, García retired the first 13 Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
batters until a walk to Eugenio Suárez
Eugenio Alejandro Suárez (born July 18, 1991) is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds. Suárez was an All-Star ...
and did not allow the first hit until Luis Torrens
Luis Alfonso Torrens Sáez (born May 2, 1996) is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher in the Chicago Cubs organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners.
Career New York ...
singled leading off the sixth inning as the Astros eventually won, 2–1.
On June 15, García authored an immaculate inning
In baseball, a strikeout occurs when a pitcher throws three strike zone, strikes to a Batting (baseball), batter during his time at bat. An immaculate inning occurs when a pitcher strikes out all three batters he faces in one inning, using the mi ...
in the second inning versus the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field
Globe Life Field is a retractable roof stadium in Arlington, Texas. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Texas Rangers. It is located just south of Choctaw Stadium, the Rangers' former home ballpark.
History Background
On May ...
, striking out Nathaniel Lowe
David Nathaniel Lowe Jr. ( ; born July 7, 1995) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Amateur career
Lowe attended Pope High ...
, Ezequiel Durán
Ezequiel Alberto Durán (born May 22, 1999) is a Dominican professional baseball infielder for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022.
Career New York Yankees
Durán signed with the New York Yankees as ...
, and Brad Miller. Five innings later, teammate Phil Maton struck out the same trio of batters en route to his own immaculate inning, making this the first occasion in the major leagues of two immaculate innings pitched both in the same game and on the same date. García's immaculate inning was the eighth in team history. On June 30, he led a 2–1 win over the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
with one run allowed over innings, three hits and six strikeouts.
On July 12, García allowed one hit in six scoreless innings to the Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
, retiring the final 13 batters while striking out seven. The one hit allowed was a career low through his first 45 major league starts. His sixth quality start
In baseball, a quality start is a statistic for a starting pitcher defined as a game in which the pitcher completes at least six innings and permits no more than three earned runs. The quality start has effectively replaced the 'complete game' a ...
of the season, it was the 17th consecutive produced on the road by Houston pitching. Per an AT&T SportsNet
AT&T Sports Networks, LLC (ATTSN) is a group of regional sports networks in the United States that primarily own and operate AT&T Sports Networks (founded in 2009, as Liberty Sports Holdings, later DirecTV Sports Networks, LLC). It is owned by W ...
broadcast, that extended the longest streak in franchise history, exceeding the 1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
club (14). In a September 3 start versus Los Angeles, García tossed seven innings and allowed one run as Houston fell 2–1 in extra innings
Extra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie.
Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine regulation innings (in softball and high school baseball games there are typically seven innings; in Little Lea ...
. On September 19, García started the first five innings and won a 4–0 shutout of the Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
to clinch a fifth American League West
The American League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The division has five teams as of the 2013 season, but had four teams from 1994 to 2012, and had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams curr ...
division title for the Astros over the previous six seasons. In his final start of the regular season on October 2, García was the winning pitcher with one run allowed over six innings versus Tampa Bay, culminating a 7–0 record and 3.20 ERA over his last eight starts. His seven wins from August 12 onward led the AL.
During the 2022 regular season, García was 15-8 with a 3.72 ERA in 28 starts covering innings.
In the third game of the 2022 ALDS
The 2022 American League Division Series (ALDS) were the two best-of-five playoff series in Major League Baseball (MLB) to determine the participating teams of the 2022 American League Championship Series. These matchups are:
*(1) Houston Astros ...
, García earned the win after working the final five innings of a series-clinching sweep of the Mariners. The game had remained scoreless for an unprecedented 17 innings—the longest scoreless period in postseason history—until rookie Jeremy Peña
Jeremy Joan Peña (born September 22, 1997) is a Dominican-American professional baseball shortstop for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He attended the University of Maine and played college baseball for the Black Bears. The ...
homered in the top of the 18th to eventually win it for the Astros, 1–0, in the longest shutout in postseason history. The Astros advanced to the World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
and defeated the Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
in six games to give García his first career World Series title.
See also
*
* List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
From 1939 to 2019, 397 Venezuelan baseball players born in Venezuela have played in Major League Baseball. This list shows players who appeared in at least one game in MLB, including number indicating order of arrival, name of player, position, ...
* List of World Series starting pitchers
The following is a chronological list of the starting pitchers for each World Series game contested in Major League Baseball.
Each pitcher's win–loss record for World Series starts, cumulative through the game in question, is listed when the s ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Garcia, Luis
1996 births
Living people
Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States
Major League Baseball pitchers
Houston Astros players
Dominican Summer League Astros players
Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic
Tri-City ValleyCats players
Quad Cities River Bandits players
Fayetteville Woodpeckers players
People from Bolívar (state)