Houston Chronicle Sunday

‘HEALTHY AND READY’

Rookie Garcia won’t be on pitch count, but Baker more concerned about performanc­e

- By Danielle Lerner STAFF WRITER danielle.lerner@chron.com twitter.com/danielle_lerner

CHICAGO — Luis Garcia’s durability has been a primary concern for the Astros this season as the rookie righthande­r pitched more innings than he ever had in a profession­al season. When Garcia starts Game 3 of the ALDS against the White Sox, the reins will not be completely off, but looser.

Astros manager Dusty Baker said Garcia will not be on a pitch limit in Sunday’s game at Guaranteed Rate Field, but that the Astros will be cognizant of his past performanc­es.

“He’s on more of a performanc­e monitor, but we also know we have to go on the historical past, too,” Baker said Saturday. “So we’ll keep an eye on him when we get to that historic point but right now he just needs to throw strikes and quality strikes.”

Pitching coach Brent Strom said before Game 2 that Garcia was “healthy and ready to go,” and Garcia reiterated that Saturday.

“I feel good right now,” he said. “I have had a lot of time to rest, and I’m not surprised that I throw a lot this season because that’s what I wanted to do, and I think I’m ready for tomorrow and the rest of the postseason.”

Garcia, who made his MLB debut for the Astros in September 2020, carved out a place in the starting rotation this season. He posted a 3.30 ERA and 1.172 WHIP across a career-high 1551⁄3 innings.

Garcia’s pitch count often climbed into the 90s during the first half of the season, including back-to-back starts in which he threw 100 pitches May 26 and 106 pitches June 1. The Astros carefully monitored Garcia’s workload throughout the season and in eight of his 13 starts following the All-Star break restricted him to fewer than 87 pitches. He threw 90 pitches just once during that span as his command suffered slightly.

“We were well aware of the Garcia situation,” Strom said. “He had hit 100 innings prior to this. I think he’s got 155 now, something in that neighborho­od. But if you notice during the season, very rarely did he throw over 80 pitches, 80, 85 pitches. There were a couple of games, the Dodger games where he beat Bauer, which stands out as one of the highlights of the season for me.”

Baker said Garcia’s repertoire of pitches gave him the confidence to start the rookie in Game 3 opposite White Sox righthande­r Dylan Cease.

“I’ve seen very young pitchers come in these situations and have actually more success than young hitters,” Baker said. “I think it’s easier, as long as you’re calm, as long as you’re not appalled by the situation or get caught up in the situation, I think it’s easier to throw the ball where you want to than it is to hit a ball.”

Strom said it is easier for him to strategize against Chicago’s lineup full of righthande­d hitters than against a team like Tampa Bay, which has unique righty-lefty combinatio­ns and often makes switches early in games. Garcia’s cutter has been particular­ly effective against righties, boasting a 23.5 percent whiff rate and 62.2 percent strike rate. He relies primarily on his four-seam fastball and cutter while also mixing in a slider, changeup and curveball.

“I feel confident about all my pitches right now,” he said. “I’m going to attack every hitter and try to make them run out. That’s where my mind is.”

Garcia’s long, dance-like windup leaves him vulnerable to runners taking advantage of him. If the White Sox do try to run on him, however, the Astros have one of the best protectors behind the plate in Martín Maldonado, who led the American League in regular-season catcher caught stealings (18 of 47 attempts).

Garcia’s only previous postseason experience was a fanless one, when he started Game 5 of the ALCS against Tampa Bay as an opener last season in San Diego. He pitched two innings and didn’t allow a run after loading the bases in the second on two walks and a hit batter.

Maldonado recounted how far Garcia has come since that moment.

“Luis has been unbelievab­le for us,” he said. “We told him he was gonna start (Game 5) and he was kind of excited, where a normal guy might be shy. He smiled, he wanted the ball and he went out there and executed that game against the Rays. Just seeing him growing up, that guy works harder than any guy on our staff. His stuff, the way it has been on — had some struggles in the middle of the season, a lot of innings, but that guy is one of the guys who every time he goes out there to pitch we feel like we have a chance in the game.”

Although this season he has performed far better at home than on the road, Garcia said he is looking forward to pitching in a full stadium in Chicago.

“I feel good because I like to throw with fans in the stands, so I think it will be good,” he said.

Garcia said his confidence, almost always accompanie­d by a bright smile, did not always come easily. It arrived with time.

“At the beginning of the season I was worried about everything, but right now I’m OK,” he said, “and I think I have a lot of confidence in me and what I can do.”

 ?? Karen Warren / Staff photograph­er ?? Astros rookie righthande­r Luis Garcia posted a 3.30 ERA and 1.172 WHIP across a career-high 1551⁄3 innings.
Karen Warren / Staff photograph­er Astros rookie righthande­r Luis Garcia posted a 3.30 ERA and 1.172 WHIP across a career-high 1551⁄3 innings.

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