Slammin’ home runs and doing good work
In an early 2025 season that has seen the Royals score two or fewer runs in half of their first six games, there aren’t a lot of offensive standouts. The shining light on the team is also their most potent offensive weapon at the moment, and that is why Maikel Garcia is player of the week.
A full seven days after Opening Day, Garcia has played in all six games in some capacity. He’s accrued 19 plate appearances and has gotten six hits and a pair of walks against only three strikeouts. Two of his hits have been of the big variety: home runs. Garcia only has 13 homers in nearly 1,200 career plate appearances, and to see him lift the ball in the air with authority is very nice.
Furthermore, Garcia has shown some additional versatility this season. Though Garcia played all three infield spots last year, this year he has added the outfield—center field, to be exact—to the quiver. With Jonathan India, Bobby Witt Jr., and Michael Massey slated to receive most of the infield playing time this year (and thanks to the rest of the outfield being very, very bad), being a platoon option with Kyle Isbel in center field opens the door to more playing time for Garcia.
The 2025 Kansas City Royals have a handful of players at the pivot point of their careers. Garcia, alongside Isbel, Massey, and MJ Melendez, need to do well this year or potentially lose out on a starting gig or a roster spot moving forward.
Can Garcia exhibit the kind of power he’s shown off so far this year? He doesn’t need to be a 30 home run guy to have a lot of value. Even 15 homers a year could help turn him to an offensive weapon. His home run on March 31 in the Brewers’ home opener was the longest ball he’s hit all year.
To be fair, Garcia did the same thing last year—hitting a bunch of homers earlier and then tapering off. But encouragingly, Garcia’s walk rate of 10.5% and strikeout rate of 15.8% are also career bests should they hold. His approach looks good.
Garcia and the Royals will continue their season with a seven-game homestand against the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins starting Friday.