Luis Garcia Jr. Cements Himself as Nationals First Baseman
MLB.com's Jessica Camerato and Paige Leckie write that Washington Nationals infielder Luis Garcia Jr. "all but cemented" himself as the team's starting first baseman this spring, even though he hit just .128 (5-for-39) with a homer, three RBI, one steal, one walk, and nine strikeouts in 14 Grapefruit League games. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter will shift from second base to first in D.C. in 2026. Garcia will still see some reps at the keystone, but he's expected to be Washington's primary first baseman this year, with Nasim Nunez taking over at second. Garcia also dipped offensively from 2024 to 2025, slashing .252/.289/.412 with a .701 OPS, 16 home runs, 66 RBI, 67 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in 526 plate appearances over 139 games. The Nationals and fantasy managers alike will hope that Garcia's move to first base will put less on him defensively and help him bounce back at the plate. The ceiling isn't high here, and 2024 might have been his peak, but Garcia will gain first-base eligibility and could bounce back slightly in 2026.
Source: MLB.com - Jessica Camerato and Paige Leckie
Source: MLB.com - Jessica Camerato and Paige Leckie
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