Adolis Garcia's absence would normally derail a team. He was on an absolute tear through the AL playoffs, and that included a hot start in the World Series. After Game 3, he was removed from the roster with an oblique injury. The star outfielder could have been a huge absence from the lineup.
Garcia is a big reason why they're even playing today, and especially why they survived a tense, emotional ALCS bout. Yet, his absence didn't seem to bother the Texas Rangers, who exploded in Game 4.
First baseman Nathaniel Lowe said he was disappointed for his teammate, but that his absence obviously wasn't as detrimental via The Athletic:
“My heart hurts for him, but we scored 10 without him. It’s a pretty good answer from the rest of the team.”
Losing a leader like that and an offensive threat can be damaging. He was the heart and soul of their victory over the Houston Astros, and he walked off Game 1. It would have been understandable if their offense battled in the immediate wake.
That was anything but the case. They scored 11 runs in total, 10 of them coming by the fifth inning and all with two outs. Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and others played key roles.
Without Garcia, the Arizona Diamondbacks had a chance to even the series. Instead, they watched a 3-1 lead get slammed in their face by virtue of 11 runs. Garcia is a big loss, but it may not make a difference in the end.
Adolis Garcia hoping his team can bring him a ring
Through Game 3, the playoff MVP for the Rangers had to be Adolis Garcia. The slugging outfielder had been on fire all postseason long, and his production saved them many times.
Losing him was a key blow, but with a 2-1 lead, they only needed to win two of four games (two of which were on the road where they thrive) remaining. They responded by winning Game 4 and now need just one more win to capture their first World Series title in franchise history.