Nats rookie Luis Garcia is mimicking Juan Soto in every way he can
“That’s who he is mimicking,” Johnny DiPuglia, the Nationals’ vice president of international operations, said in an interview with The Washington Post. “We want Lui to be himself, to not feel the pressure of imitating Juan. But we also love that he has that template.”
“Right now he’d be the guy that I’d want my kid to watch hit,” added Manager Dave Martinez of Soto, who, like García, is from the Dominican Republic. Martinez was referring to a child, showing his own son or daughter clips of Soto’s balanced swing. But he now has another kid in the dugout. García is only the second player born in the 2000s to crack the majors. He recently became the first player born in the 2000s to crush a big-league home run.
Martinez knows how it feels. The 55-year-old once debuted with the Chicago Cubs at 21. In March of 1987, ahead of his second year, his spring training locker was next door to Andre Dawson’s. The Cubs had signed Dawson that winter, adding a full-on star to their outfield. And Martinez, a young utility outfielder, wanted to stay out of his way.
He’d arrive at the facility at 6:30 a.m. to change before Dawson showed up. But once Dawson caught wind, he woke up even earlier to beat Martinez there. Martinez, a bit shocked, sat in a nearby chair to wait until Dawson was finished. Dawson turned, pretending to be mad, accusing Martinez of not liking him. Then he told Martinez they were teammates, and he didn’t have to tiptoe around. Martinez soon had one of the better offensive years of his 16-year career. Dawson won National League MVP.
“These guys feel like they are part of this team right when they get here,” Martinez said of García and other young players. “We had them in spring training. They know the importance of playing defense, of running the bases, doing the little things. I trust my veteran guys to keep these guys grounded.”
With García and Soto, the “veteran guy” has just over 1,200 career plate appearances. They connect through a shared background, as native Spanish speakers and parts of a pipeline between the Dominican and Nationals Park. They grew close playing rookie ball in 2017, when García was 17 and Soto rehabbing at the end of an injury-filled summer. That’s when García, a middle infielder, asked Soto about his two-strike approach.
It’s a hard time to copy anything Soto does. Similar to Garcia, he debuted at 19 after a few veterans were injured in front of him. He has since torn through baseball — and torn a few baseballs — with 63 home runs in 279 games. That ranks fifth all-time before a 22nd birthday, right ahead of Frank Robinson and Ken Griffey Jr. Soto already has seven blasts and 16 RBI in 2020, despite missing the first 10 days of the season following a positive test for coronavirus.
But García is doing what he can. Soto started conducting interviews in English as a rookie, having mastered the language through Rosetta Stone lessons. On Monday, after his first homer, García did the same. Like Soto, he had team interpreter Octavio Martinez sit nearby and translate any confusing questions. He otherwise tested his English, then, through a Zoom call, asked reporters how it went. When they offered a thumbs up, García returned it with a wide grin.
And Soto’s two-strike approach came with clear instructions: spread out your feet, shorten up your swing, look for outside fastballs, especially from left-handed pitchers. García checks each box whenever he is down in the count. So far this year, through four starts at second, one of his six hits is with two strikes.
“Look for fastball outside every day,” García remembered Soto telling him. “I said, ‘Okay, I do like you.’ ”
Before every game, García, Soto and Victor Robles each kneel by the foul line closest to the Nationals’ dugout. They bow their heads. Then they pray, with Soto leading until they pop up, make the sign of the cross and look toward the sky.
This used to be Soto and Robles’s routine. Now it includes García, who often mentions his faith in interviews. This shortened season has brought the next glimpse of Washington’s future. Robles, 23, started alongside Soto in last year’s World Series run. García was promoted this month to replace the injured Castro. He joined Carter Kieboom, 22, who is acclimating at third after Anthony Rendon departed last winter.
That’s four starters who can’t rent a car without underage fees. García can’t legally buy a beer.
“The English interview surprised me, I didn’t know he was quite ready for that,” DiPuglia said. “But that’s a very Juan thing to do, too. It’s trying something, it’s being comfortable, it’s being okay with failure because you know you put the work in. That shows you why we felt comfortable bringing up García in the first place. He’s ready.”
Castro is on a two-year, $12 million contract, and should retake his spot once his wrist heals. If that is by the start of next season, there may be nowhere to get García everyday opportunities. The Nationals could send him back to the minors, or give him scattered work as an extra infielder. The natural shortstop can play short, second or third if needed, and would provide a left-handed bat off the bench.
The Nationals don’t have to decide quite yet. For now, likely for the rest of this season, García has a regular spot in the lineup. And once Soto had his, he never gave it up.
