Adolis García got a strong rebuke from manager Bruce Bochy on Sunday after a costly mental mistake in the final inning of the Texas Rangers’ matchup against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
The trouble started in the top of the ninth inning with the Rangers trailing 5-4. García, known for his power and presence at the plate, managed to draw a leadoff walk against Seattle’s closer, Andrés Muñoz. It looked like the Rangers might be setting up a rally, especially with another big bat, Joc Pederson, stepping up next.
Pederson hit a 2-0 pitch on the ground to shortstop J.P. Crawford—a ball that had double-play potential. But Crawford bobbled it, creating a brief opening for the Rangers. Unfortunately, instead of taking advantage, García made a critical mistake: he didn’t slide into second base. That split-second decision (or lack of one) cost him. He was forced out by a hair, and instead of having two men on base with nobody out, the Rangers suddenly had one out and just a runner on first.
After the game, Bochy didn’t hold back his frustration. Speaking to reporters, he called García’s lapse in judgment a “brain cramp” and expressed clear disappointment over what he felt was a completely avoidable error.
“There’s absolutely no excuse for that,” Bochy said, as quoted by Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. “It just can’t happen—not in a situation like that. I don’t know what was going through his head. Maybe once he saw Crawford bobble the ball, he thought the play was already broken. But you can’t assume anything. That kind of mental lapse can change a game entirely. We could’ve had runners on first and second with no outs. Instead, we lose momentum.”
Bochy went on to say that moments like this are often the ones you reflect on after a tough loss—the kind that stick with you. “You always look back at games and think about what could’ve gone differently. There’s no use dwelling on it, but it’s fair to say that things might have played out better if that mistake hadn’t happened. It’s unfortunate. We had a difficult road trip, and it’s just a shame to end it on something like that.”
The message was clear: in tight games, the little things matter—and even experienced players like García aren’t immune to costly mistakes.
The Rangers’ final hope for a comeback was dashed when pinch runner Sam Haggerty was thrown out trying to steal second base. Moments later, Andrés Muñoz struck out center fielder Wyatt Langford, ending the game.
Adolis García, once a hero for Texas during their unforgettable 2023 World Series run, has struggled to recapture that same level of dominance over the past two seasons. While he’s still delivered some exciting highlights for Rangers fans, his overall production has taken a noticeable dip.
In 108 games so far this season, García is batting just .228, with 16 home runs and 63 RBIs—numbers well below what’s expected from a key piece of the lineup. That slump in performance reportedly led the Rangers to explore trade possibilities for him ahead of the deadline, as they weighed their options moving forward.