Rangers’ Adolis Garcia: Getting hit by pitch after home run ‘was not right’

Garcia was plunked after admiring the biggest homer of his career

Adolis Garcia waited more than 30 seconds to circle the bases following his career-high home run, appreciating his three-run shot that gave the Texas Rangers a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning. However, the next pitch he saw struck him in the right elbow pad.

The Houston Astros emerged victorious in the American League Championship Series, taking a 3-2 lead with to a three-run home ball hit by Jose Altuve in the ninth inning. This was Houston’s third straight road victory.

Prior to Altuve’s outburst, though, tensions were high after Bryan Abreu hit Garcia with a fastball. After the benches emptied, Abreu, Garcia, and Astros manager Dusty Baker were all dismissed, leading to a roughly 12-minute delay.

Martin Maldonado, the catcher, had to be removed from Garcia at least a few times as his first instinct was to get in his face.

Garcia justified his celebration and criticised the Astros for their apparent deliberate retribution.

We’re probably in the postseason. “This is the time,” Garcia remarked following the match. “You will rejoice when you hit a ball that well. That’s our current situation. I don’t think that’s the right way if that’s how they’re trying to respond to it.”

“I felt like that hit-by-pitch could’ve been worse,” Garcia stated, “and I told him that was not right.”

As AL West rivals, it wasn’t the first time the Astros and Rangers had a falling out. This season, after multiple players were buzzed and plunked, the benches cleared, and Garcia launched a grand slam.

Texas failed to take advantage of the hit-by-pitch that put runners on first and second with no outs. Then, in the ninth inning or later in his postseason history, Altuve hit his third and final go-ahead home run of the season.