The Pittsburgh Pirates officially promoted outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday ahead of their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
The roster move followed a quad injury to Ryan O'Hearn during Saturday's game, which is expected to sideline him for approximately four weeks, according to Pirates general manager Ben Cherington.
Garcia fills the vacancy created when Nick Yorke was optioned to Triple-A after Sunday's game, following the activation of Jake Mangum from the injured list.
The 23-year-old outfielder previously appeared in five games for the Boston Red Sox last season before being traded to Pittsburgh in December alongside pitching prospect Jesus Travieso for Johan Oviedo and two prospects.
Garcia will start in right field and bat sixth against St. Louis left-hander Matthew Liberatore, bringing a defensive skill set capable of covering all three outfield positions.
After overcoming lower back pain that restricted his early season production in Indianapolis to a . 158 average, Garcia bounced back by batting .
368 in May during a rehab stint with Low-A Bradenton and his return to Triple-A.
His recent minor league performance includes a 5 for 5 game with three home runs against Louisville on May 12, making him the third International League player with a three-homer game this season.
Over his last 10 games with Indianapolis dating back to April 8, Garcia posted an 11 for 37 stretch at the plate, good for a .
297 batting average and a . 918 OPS.
Garcia's Mindset and Manager's Confidence
"This a great opportunity," said Garcia, with Pirates major league coach Stephen Morales translating.
Garcia noted that the current promotion brings a different emotional state compared to his initial stint in the major leagues with Boston.
"Like you said, the Red Sox last year wasn't the same one. It was shorter.
But I think I feel like I have a really good chance to do my thing here," Garcia said.
The outfielder expressed increased comfort coming off a strong spring training where he batted . 405.
"Feel a lot better, more comfortable, not being my first time," Garcia said.
He looks to solidify his spot in the lineup as the Pirates look for offensive consistency following consecutive shutout losses against the Philadelphia Phillies.
"First time, you get kind of not nervous but anxious. But that's not the case right now," Garcia said.
Garcia remains focused on maximizing his playing time during this major league stint.
"Very excited about the opportunity and happy to be here," Garcia said.
He enters the clubhouse looking to contribute immediately to the active roster.
"Just [hoping to] take full advantage of the opportunity," Garcia said.
Pirates manager Don Kelly acknowledged the complexity of the roster decision but expressed confidence in Garcia's power, speed, defensive capabilities, and performance against left-handed pitching.
"He had a good week in Triple-A coming back off the injury," Kelly said.
Kelly emphasized that the responsibility to ignite the offense does not rest solely on the newly promoted outfielder.
"He had a great spring training and he has a really exciting skill set he brings to the table.
The power, he’s got surprising speed, has a really good arm and plays really good outfield defense. Excited to have him here," Kelly said.
The manager hopes to alleviate external expectations as Garcia transitions back into major league competition.
"I think that goes for everybody — it’s not on any one single hitter, it’s not on any one single pitcher.
It’s a team collective," Kelly said.
Kelly plans to balance Garcia's playing time with necessary rest days to manage his recovery from the recent back injury.
"Hopefully Garcia doesn’t feel that [pressure]," Kelly added.
The coaching staff believes Garcia's familiarity with the roster from spring training will ease his integration into the lineup.
"I think when you get called up, you feel that pressure anyways of being up here, but I feel that’s where that comfortability of having spring training, being around the guys and having success in spring will help him relax and feel a part of it rather than feeling like he has to be the guy," Kelly said.
