The New York Yankees snapped a five-game losing streak against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. Starting pitcher Deivi Garcia lasted 7.0 innings, allowing just two runs and striking out six batters. The young Dominican Republic native has been a bright light amid a dark few weeks for the Bombers.
At 21 years old, he has made three starts in the majors, compiling a 3.06 ERA that has lit the starting rotation ablaze. His injection into the rotation has given the Yankees a spark of life, one that was void after losing James Paxton for several weeks and the majority of their top sluggers.
However, there was always something strange about Garcia, and it was the number 45 that he bore on his belt. Most thought that he simply borrowed it from Gerrit Cole and kept it after his first successful start as a way of superstition. Nonetheless, that isn’t the case, as he indicated otherwise after Wednesday’s victory over the Blue Jays.
“It’s not being superstitious or anything like that,†Garcia said after pitching 7.0 innings in a 7-2 win over the Blue Jays on Wednesday.
“It’s actually that when we started spring training back in February, I asked for a belt. But I asked for a belt with the No. 45 and that’s in honor of Pedro Martinez,†Garcia said. “It’s just a number that I carry around. I have it in my glove, in some of my gloves. That’s really the reason why.â€