Right field has been a problem spot in Detroit all season long. The Tigers, though, are hoping that a potential future fix could also be a solution in the present.
In somewhat of a surprise move, the club brought up Avisail Garcia last week, and the 21-year-old right-handed hitter has started two games against left-handers so far.
Garcia was promoted from Double-A, where he was hitting .312/.345/.465. He has no experience at Triple-A, but manager Jim Leyland is a big fan and is eager to see what he can do. "I thought he had the best all-around tools of any kid we had," Leyland said after watching Garcia during each of the last two spring trainings.
Following Garcia's first few games, Leyland stated that Garcia would be the Tigers starting right fielder against lefty pitchers.
Garcia is starting Saturday against Angels southpaw C.J. Wilson, and with an upcoming series against the White Sox, who lead the Tigers by one game in the AL Central, Garcia could get at least two starts against lefties Francisco Liriano and Jose Quintana, who are scheduled to pitch Monday and Wednesday. Chris Sale, another lefty, could pitch Thursday, too. Basically, Garcia might have a shot to help Detroit push past the White Sox in a heated division race.
The Tigers are known for challenging their best young prospects by pushing them up the ladder quickly. And frankly, with the likes of Brennan Boesch and others struggling for much of the season -- the team's collective OPS from right fielders ranks second-worst in baseball -- Garcia could provide a boost down the stretch.
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