Monday evening saw Rangers right fielder Adolis García put the final touches on a virtuoso ALCS performance.
In Texas’s 11–4 Game 7 win over the Astros, García went an astonishing 4-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs to lead the Rangers to their third pennant. That followed a Game 6 where his grand slam broke a three-run game open in the ninth inning; García finished the series with a .357/.400/.893 slashline.
García's series truly took off following the events of Game 5, when Houston pitcher Bryan Abreu hit him with a pitch in the eighth inning. It appeared at first that García took exception to the pitch, a development that seemed to cause both benches to clear.
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However, a source close to García told SI’s Tom Verducci that García was not upset with Abreu as many had believed—the real object of his frustration was veteran Astros catcher Martín Maldonado.
“Nothing was directed at Abreu,” the source told Verducci. “It was all about Maldonado. He just had enough of the guy. There’s a history, and it just reached a breaking point. It wasn’t about being thrown at on purpose. Listen, he knows you don’t do that in that game situation.”
In contrast to García, Maldonado struggled mightily during the ALCS, slashing .125/.300/.125 with two RBIs in 20 plate appearances.
