Young Cuban outfielders show off power in exhibition game
The power display unleashed by young Cuban-born outfielders Adolis Garcia and Randy Arozarena on Saturday can explain, at least in part, why the Cardinals were able to part with flashy Dominican outfielder Magneuris Sierra in the Marcell Ozuna trade last December. And, perhaps multiplied further, it is why the Cardinals could trade Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk in the offseason.
The Cardinals already have Ozuna, Dexter Fowler and Tommy Pham as their starting outfielders. Additionally, the Cardinals have Harrison Bader, who had two hits Saturday; Oscar Mercado, who starred with two hits and made a good catch Friday, and Tyler O’Neill, who had 31 homers last year, in their system. Garcia was signed by the Cardinals last spring, and Arozarena was signed in 2016.
Garcia, who will turn 25 on Friday, hit a three-run homer to highlight a six-run third inning, which began with a solo homer by Arozarena, who will be 23 on Wednesday. Garcia also doubled and scored on a single by Arozarena in the fifth as the Cardinals outlasted the New York Mets 10-5.
Arozarena, who played in the Mexican League before the Cardinals signed him in 2016, hit 14 home runs in 64 games in the Mexican winter league last season after hitting 11 combined at Class A Palm Beach and Double-A Springfield last year. The more advanced Garcia had 15 homers and batted .290 while playing for Springfield and Triple-A Memphis.
For more coverage of the Cardinals, go to stltoday.com. the best move and agreed a two-year contract worth $7 million in mid-January. Kendrick called returning to Washington as a backup for another potential playoff run an easy decision.
“There wasn’t a lot of chatter to be honest with you,” said Kendrick, who batted .293 with an .837 OPS in 52 games with Washington.
Ultimately, Kendrick will solidify the bench as he did when he was acquired from the Phillies in July. But there’s a chance he begins his 13th major-league season as an everyday player if Daniel Murphy isn’t cleared to return from microfracture knee surgery.
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