Garcia stays sharp in Triple-A debut
As the Yankees battled their closest AL East rivals in The Bronx on Monday night, a potential key part of their future took another step in his development, as Deivi Garcia made his first Triple-A start with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Garcia, just promoted from Double-A Trenton, overcame a somewhat sluggish start to finish five innings against Columbus.
He gave up three runs — including a homer — walked one and struck out six.
Omar Minaya, special assistant to Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, watched Garcia’s game Monday. Noah Syndergaard could be a trade candidate.
Widely considered the Yankees’ top prospect, Garcia has drawn comparisons to Pedro Martinez and Marcus Stroman.
The diminutive Garcia didn’t disappoint against improved competition.
Last week, general manager Brian Cashman said on SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio that Garcia was “pushing himself into the mix’’ to join the Yankees’ staff this season.
He could have some company, as Aaron Boone said Jonathan Loaisiga could also be an option “at some point” as he returns from a shoulder injury.
Michael King, the 23-year-old right-hander who has dealt with elbow issues since spring training, made his second rehab outing with the Yankees’ Gulf Coast League team on Monday. He allowed one run in 1 2/3 innings. ➤ After a six-game streak of multi-hit games was snapped on July 4, Didi Grego
rius has been in a rough stretch at the plate. The shortstop didn’t play Monday, but Gregorius and Boone said he was fine and Gleyber Torres took his spot in the field. Torres went 1-for-3 with a walk.
Still, in his last six games, Gregorius is just 2-for-26 with no extra-base hits, seven strikeouts and no walks.
“He’s been working hard these last couple days, just some mechanical things,’’ Boone said before the Yankees 5-4 loss to the Rays in The Bronx. “I don’t think he’s far off. Sometimes, because he’s so good at making contact, sometimes he puts some balls in play that aren’t the best balls to put in play. But because he’s so good [with his] hand-eye [coordination], maybe some pitches he should lay off or foul balls end up going into play and that gets him hurt.”
➤ Edwin Encarnacion had two more homers in Monday’s 5-4 loss to the Rays after entering the game in a 7-for-57 slump.
Six of his dozen hits since joining the Yankees have been home runs.
“I don’t worry about Edwin,’’ Boone said. “Great players who win MVP are gonna go through stretches when they’re not getting hits.”
➤ Gary Sanchez’s struggles at the plate continued. The catcher entered 7for-55 with two extra-base hits, five walks and 20 strikeouts and went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts on Monday.