Royals infielder Maikel Garcia underwent surgical procedure to take away a bone spur from his proper elbow, tweets Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase. Kansas Metropolis hasn’t introduced whether or not the harm is predicted to affect his readiness for Spring Coaching.
Garcia had been set to play winter ball in his native Venezuela. He revealed in an X submit over the weekend that he was as an alternative headed again to Kansas Metropolis for x-rays. It’s unclear when he suffered the harm, as he didn’t spend any time on the IL this 12 months.
The 24-year-old appeared in 157 common season video games and all six postseason contests. Matt Quatraro penciled him in at third base and atop the batting order on most nights. The Jonathan India acquisition means Garcia will now not be slated for leadoff work. Relying on how the Royals intend to make use of India and incumbent second baseman Michael Massey, Garcia nonetheless initiatives because the beginning third baseman.
Garcia didn’t make a lot of an offensive affect. He hit .231/.281/.332 with seven homers throughout 626 plate appearances. Whereas he’s greatest suited within the backside third of a lineup, he has a robust secondary profile. Garcia stole 37 bases in 39 makes an attempt and graded as one of many league’s greatest total baserunners. He’s additionally a top quality defender. Statcast and Defensive Runs Saved every felt he was three runs higher than common in somewhat greater than 1000 innings at third base.
Anne Rogers of MLB.com wrote a couple of weeks in the past that the Royals had gotten a couple of calls about Garcia’s availability. He got here up as a shortstop prospect and solely moved to 3rd base in deference to Bobby Witt Jr. Kansas Metropolis definitely isn’t shifting him again to shortstop barring an harm to Witt, however a group just like the Braves or Giants might view him as an improve on the place. There’s nothing to counsel the Royals have been significantly inclined to maneuver Garcia, whom they management for 5 extra seasons. The elbow surgical procedure, even when it’s a minor process, makes a deal much less possible.
