Washington Nationals news & notes: Luis García, Jr. named a Silver Slugger finalist

Notes and quotes on Luis García, Jr. being named a finalist for the NL Silver Slugger award at second base…

“He’s just really staying behind the baseball, he really is, and when you’re able to use your legs, a lot of good things can happen,” Washington Nationals’ manager Davey Martinez said in September in discussing Luis García, Jr.’s breakout season at the plate (and in the field).

García, Jr. finished his fifth major league season with a .282/.318/.444 line, 25 doubles, and 18 HRs in 140 games and 582 plate appearances in a (career-best) 3.1 fWAR campaign.

“We like where his approach is at right now,” Martinez added late this season. “So we’re not going to fuss with it too much. He’s really engaged. He’s really trying to have good at-bats, every at-bat.”

Martinez said then there were obviously still some things to work on, including García, Jr.’s approach versus lefties (.259/.290/.352, 5 of 25 doubles, 1 of 18 HRs in a total of 114 plate appearances vs LHPs; .288/.326/.469 vs RHP).

“We are still working on things with his approach to lefties, as far as staying in there, and hitting selected pitches,” the Nats’ skipper said.

“The biggest thing is that against lefties he chases a lot of balls down. We’re trying to get him to understand to get the ball up and in more towards him.

“He can’t cover both sides of the plate. It’s tough to do against a left-handed pitcher. But he’s learning and he’s been really good.”

“García Jr., 24, was one of just six players in Major League Baseball in 2024 to hit over .280 with at least 40 extra-base hits and 20 stolen bases,” the Nationals noted in a press release on the infielder being named a finalist for a Silver Slugger on Monday morning:

“[García, Jr. ] also ranked fourth in National League with a .312 average after July 3 (min. 200 AB).

“He set career highs in batting average (.282), on-base percentage (.318), slugging percentage (.444), OPS (.762), home runs (18), RBI[s] (70), doubles (25), stolen bases (22), and hits (141).

“Among National League second basemen, García Jr. ranked in the top three in slugging percentage (2nd), batting average (2nd), RBI (2nd), OPS (2nd) and home runs (3^rd). He also led the Nationals and ranked second among NL second basemen in batting average with runners in scoring position, hitting .312.

One of the biggest signs of Garcia, Jr.’s maturity this season, Martinez said, was the fact that when he did hit lulls, the lows weren’t as low as they were in previous seasons.

“He’s been focused on just working on just getting to that next at-bat,” the manager said.

“If something goes awry, he forgets about it. The big thing with him, he doesn’t carry it over. If he’s 0 for 2, he’s not carrying those two at-bats over, he’s trying to focus on the at-bat at hand, and trying to get to that next pitch. He’s been a lot better at that, and I think that just comes with maturity. We told him all along, ‘You can hit. We know you can hit. But you got understand what you can hit, what balls you can hit.’ So if all of a sudden he’s swinging at balls down, he knows right away, ‘Hey, I got to get the ball up. I really got to get the ball up.’ And he focuses on hitting the ball up. And then with two strikes, he’s been way better. Two strikes he just shortens up a little bit and really tries to put the ball in play.”

That short memory, Martinez said, is something players need in the majors.

“Sometimes it takes — as you know, it took Luis a couple years — but we knew he had it in him, and what he’s doing offensively elevates his game defensively. It goes hand-in-hand.”

GarcÍa, Jr. (WSH), Jonathan India (CIN), and Ketel Marte (AZ) are the Silver Slugger finalists at second base in the NL this season.

The winner will be announced on a Silver Slugger Award telecast on the MLB Network at 6:00 PM ET on Tuesday, November 12th.