Detroit Tigers: Bryan Garcia finding success in the bullpen in 2020
By Tyler Kotila
In recent years finding bullpen consistency has been an issue from the Detroit Tigers, but Bryan Garcia has emerged as a reliable reliever.
While the Detroit Tigers are closing in on the end of the shortened 60-game season, there is a lot to take in. However, looking at the bullpen, there were some surprises like Joe Jiménez struggling immensely.
On the other hand, Bryan Garcia flipped the script from his big league appearances in 2019, being lights out in 2020. Garcia’s success helped him emerge as a consistent arm the Tigers could send out to the mound during the 2020 season.
In 2016, the Tigers would select Garcia in the sixth round of the draft, and he would make his debut three years later in 2019. He bounced through levels of the minors, including last year, totaling 41.1 innings pitched between High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A.
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He also got his chance in the big leagues, throwing in seven games for 6.2 innings pitched where he had a 12.15 ERA, a 2.1 WHIP, and allowed nine hits, walking five, striking out seven.
In his time with the minor league affiliates, he had 38 appearances, accumulating a 3.05 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, striking out 47 collectively across the three levels.
But in 2020, Garcia has totaled 18.1 innings pitched over 22 appearances where he has a 1.47 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, only six walks, 14 hits, and seven punchouts against the opposition.
His last four appearances have seen him finishing the game, notching two saves along the way.
Take a look at how the Detroit Tigers are getting success from the sinkerballer, Bryan Garcia.
Garcia’s four-pitch repertoire sees him using a sinker as a go-to with his four-seam fastball being a secondary pitch. It seems that Garcia has begun to view the fastball as an easy “get me over” pitch to get into the strike zone.
His sinker has some light arm-side run/tail to it that makes it a crafty pitch for him, even as his primary offering. The good change of speed on his change-up plays very well with the exceptional movement the pitch has; he gets a plethora of swings and misses with this pitch.
The slider has more of a frisbee movement, seemingly getting squared up more often. More of a contact-inducing pitch, he gives up the most hits off of the slider compared to any of his other secondary pitches.
Garcia’s ability to locate and use his pitches effectively has sponsored his success in the 2020 season. As the Tigers close out the 2020 season, look for Garcia to finish on a high note. Doing so would provide a perfect segway into the offseason and back into spring ball in 2021.
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The Detroit Tigers should be happy that Bryan Garcia has found this success and become a reliable relief arm for them to use consistently.