NEW YORK — The Texas Rangers have reinstated right fielder Adolis García from the 10-day injured list sooner than anticipated. He was immediately placed into the starting lineup for Sunday’s game against the Mets. To clear a roster spot, the team sent outfielder Dustin Harris back to Triple-A Round Rock.
“It feels great to be back, especially with important games ahead,” said García. “I’m grateful to be on the field again.”
In his return, García went 0-for-4 at the plate but contributed defensively with three catches, including a notable sliding grab on a Pete Alonso fly ball in the seventh inning.
“That play came from good positioning by [third-base coach] Tony Beasley — and I just made the catch,” García said.
García had been sidelined for 10 games with a right quad strain. The Rangers had expected him to miss more time, but after taking live batting practice at Citi Field on Saturday, he told the medical staff and manager Bruce Bochy he was ready.
“I figured he’d be out a bit longer,” Bochy said. “Maybe another five to seven days. But he started progressing fast and checked all the boxes. He’s good to go.”
Despite returning, García admitted he was still a bit cautious on the bases, saying he occasionally thought about the injury during Sunday’s game.
“Sometimes I hold back because of what happened. I have to remind myself to move past it,” he said.
Before the injury, García had been red-hot, batting .375 (12-for-32) with a home run and seven RBIs in his previous seven games.
“He was really locked in before the injury,” Bochy noted. “He’s a great defensive player and a core part of our lineup. It’s huge to have him back.”
Meanwhile, Dustin Harris—who was optioned—had gone 8-for-40 (.200) with a home run and two RBIs in limited action. His biggest moment came with a walk-off double against the Astros on September 5.
