What happened to Adolis Garcia? Rangers star outfielder leaves game early vs Dodgers

Adolis Garcia had to leave Saturday's game early against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The star outfielder was hit in the hand by a 98 mph fastball from the hard-throwing Bobby Miller.

Garcia was hit in the bottom of the fourth inning but stayed in the game for the next half inning. Robbie Grossman later replaced him. Garcia will be considered day-to-day until he undergoes some testing.

The hand is one of the last places a batter wants to get hit. There are so many little bones and ligaments in the hand that are easy to injure. Hand injuries can also be a nuisance as they can be difficult to heal.

This is unfortunate timing for the Texas Rangers, as they just announced that shortstop Corey Seager would be headed to the 10-day IL. Seager hurt his thumb sliding into second base on Friday.

Texas Rangers need Adolis Garcia in the lineup

Los Angeles Dodgers v Texas Rangers

Adolis Garcia is on pace to have the best season of his five-year career. He is hitting .261/.334/513 with 24 home runs and 80 RBIs. His season-best for home runs is 31, which he did in 2021, and he will crush that number this season, even if he has to spend some time on the IL.

He is a big reason the Texas Rangers see themselves first in the division. They are 58-40, holding a three-game lead over the Houston Astros. Texas has the third-best record and looks like a true contender this season.

Some other players must step up if Garcia has to head to the IL. The Rangers have some important matchups that they cannot afford to lose. They finish their series with the Dodgers over the weekend before taking on the Houston Astros. A bad series against the Astros could flip the division around.