Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Adolis García delivered a strong performance in a Grapefruit League game, recording four hits including a home run in a 2-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. The display came amid ongoing adjustments to his swing and plate discipline.
Adolis García batted 4-for-4 on Tuesday, powering a home run off a first-pitch sweeper from Minnesota Twins right-hander Bailey Ober in the fourth inning. His other hits included a single in the first at 102.5 mph, an RBI single in the sixth at 110.5 mph, and a single in the eighth at 112.4 mph. The home run exited at 103.7 mph. This effort contributed to the Phillies' 2-0 shutout win in the Grapefruit League matchup at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla. Entering the game, García was hitting .192 (5-for-26) this spring, with one double, one RBI, six walks, and two strikeouts. “The mentality is to have good at-bats,” García said through the team’s interpreter. “To swing at strikes.” His improvements stem from work on plate discipline and swing mechanics. Last season with Texas, García had a 35.8% chase rate, ranking in the bottom 10% among MLB hitters. This spring, that figure dropped to 21.3%. Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long explained the approach: “I just tell him that he has three or four in his pocket that he can use a day… It’s more of a mindset.” García also adjusted his pre-pitch bat setup, moving from a tilt toward the pitcher to a straighter position, similar to Kyle Schwarber’s. “That’s the biggest thing,” Long said. “It took him too long to get to contact. It wasn’t efficient at all. It’s a much simpler move.” Long praised García’s coachability: “He’s very coachable. He wants to be really good.” “They’re working really hard with me to have my ‘A’ swing back,” García added. “What I believe is that there’s no good swing at a bad pitch.” The Phillies conclude spring training in Clearwater before heading to Philadelphia.