Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said there would be no ongoing repercussions for Adonis Garcia after he pulled the rookie from the game on Friday for inattention.
“For me it was over as soon as it happened,” Gonzalez said. “You feel like when those things happen, you do it for the right reasons.”
Garcia hit a two-out RBI double in the first inning of the 2-1 victory against the Phillies. He was caught standing off second base bag and was tagged for the third out. Michael Bourn took Garcia’s position in left field for the second inning.
Gonzalez said he’s trying to set the right tone for a team full of young players.
“You have to do it sometimes as a learning moment,” Gonzalez said. “You can’t let those things happen. You can live with mistakes—physical mistakes, the ‘young player’ mistakes. But mistakes made because we are not paying attention or lackadaisical, those things are hard to live with especially where we are at in our season. We are not playing good baseball. Fans want to watch a good product on the field.”
Garcia, 30, made his big-league debut this season. He played seven seasons in Cuba’s top league before leaving the country, and he eventually signed with the Yankees in 2012.
Garcia has shown unexpected power with the Braves with eight home runs and nine doubles in 159 at-bats. His .478 slugging percentage entering Saturday leads the team.
Gonzalez said Garcia can be a valuable player for the Braves because of his power and his ability to play third base and left field.
“No question,” Gonzalez said. “I’m trying to get him in the lineup somehow. Going forward he’s going to be a big part of our team.”
