Prior to this season, I think a lot of people weren't sure about Adolis Garcia. His peak year in 2021 was his age-28 season, as a rookie, and was a low-average high-power ordeal that left him with a 0 batting WAR figure, despite a 30-homer/90-RBI campaign. Coming into this season, most of Garcia's appeal was as a defenseman. When I saw the Rangers play my Phils last year, he was a vacuum in center field, and made sure the home team couldn't get anything done.
So now that he's been one of the undisputed stars of the postseason, I don't think anyone's disputing Garcia's star power anymore. Even if, as he is 30, he never reaches these heights again, he will still go down as one of the most deadly postseason performers of this era. It had to be him to play the hero in extras. It had to be. Nothing else would have made sense. Not Seager, not Carter, not Jung. That moment was paved for Adolis Garcia, and he brought it.
It wouldn't have happened if Corey Seager hadn't tied the game in the bottom of the ninth with a masterful 2-run blast, and if the Rangers' bullpen, including Dane Dunning, Jon Gray, Will Smith and Jose Leclerc, hadn't completely shut down the dangerous D-Backs offense for the rest of the game.
I know that there's a ton more for both these teams to do in the following games, but that's an incredible way to start a World Series. Keep 'em coming.
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