The Nationals are sending two players, slugging shortstop C.J. Abrams and outfielder James Wood, to next week’s All-Star festivities in Philadelphia.
But two more Nationals are eagerly waiting to be called on as alternates.
First baseman Luis Garcia Jr. and starting pitcher Foster Griffin are not household names. Neither of them has made an All-Star appearance or acquired any MLB accolades. But the two are posting career years, which teammates and coaches argue are worthy of All-Star consideration.
Garcia has had the hottest bat in the majors the past six weeks. The 26-year-old ranks second in the National League in RBIs and slugging percentage after knocking his career-best 20th homer on Wednesday.
Griffin, a 30-year-old rookie, has made an immediate impact. The former first-round pick has posted a team-best 2.77 ERA through his first 19 starts. He hasn’t allowed more than one run in an appearance since May. His seven-game streak without allowing multiple runs is the longest active run in MLB.
“I can’t tell you how much value he’s added to us and how much he’s brought to us,” Nationals manager Blake Butera said of Griffin. “He’s been outstanding. Just every time out, it feels like he’s able to pitch deep into games and give us a chance to win.”
Griffin has specialized in avoiding free passes. He’s hammered the strike zone and forced batters to swing, issuing just 26 walks. Now six years removed from his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals, Griffin is pitching like an ace with hard-to-hit pitches in the zone that force weak contact.
After spending the past three seasons pitching in Japan, Griffin has continued to fly below the radar. He has just the ninth-best NL Rookie of the Year odds at BetMGM despite ranking fourth in wins above replacement among all MLB rookies.
Despite the impressive start to his tenure in Washington, Griffin was entirely left off the NL All-Star roster. He’s working on plans to relax over the upcoming break, even as Nationals fans and players rally to push him into the Midsummer Classic as a replacement.
“That’s not up to me. I’m content either way,” Griffin said on Wednesday’s Nationals broadcast. “That’d be a huge honor. I know the fans don’t really vote on pitchers; it’s up to MLB and player voting. It is what it is.”
Fans had a better chance at voting Garcia in, but his recent power surge arrived too late in the voting to swing the votes of casual baseball watchers.
But the rest of the league has taken notice. The longest-tenured National was honored as the NL Player of the Month in June. He entered that month with five home runs, with a solid average carrying his performance.
Garcia has added 15 homers since June 1. He had 16 home runs in 139 games last year.
Analyst Mark DeRosa said during an MLB Network segment dedicated to Garcia on Tuesday, “He’s had a career year before we’ve gotten to the [All-Star] break. … He’s been a top-five hitter across the board.”
Garcia has become a popular man at Nationals Park, both in the stands and in the clubhouse. The District’s crowds eagerly await his at-bats, erupting in cheers as he joined Abrams and Wood as power hitters to be feared in Washington’s lineup.
The first baseman earned another ovation on Wednesday when he reached 20 home runs in a season for the first time in his career.
“It means a lot to me,” Garcia told reporters. “I’ve been in the big leagues for a while. To reach 20 was always a goal of mine, especially to reach it before the All-Star break.”
His teammates and coaches have enjoyed watching the longtime National earn the spotlight.
“He’s doing a good job of challenging himself,” Butera said. “Our coaches have been on him about seeing mixed BP as much as he can — the Trajekt [pitching] machines, the different things like that, just to make the training environment as challenging as possible before the game. That way, when you get to the game, it almost feels easier.”
An All-Star appearance, which would require someone from the NL withdrawing due to injury or rest, would be the latest accolade for Garcia’s career year.
The Nationals, who had a day off on Thursday, return to action on Friday for a three-game home series against the New York Yankees. It’ll be Washington’s final series before Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
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