García Fortifies Postseason Seat; Houston Astros' Pitching Continues Dominance

Luis García stepped up big in Game 3 of the American League Division Series for the Houston Astros.

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Lance McCullers Jr. pitched only a third of the Houston Astros' 18-inning contest Saturday. Advancing to a sixth consecutive American League Championship Series, the club's pitching staff deserved all the praise.

Setting pace for the most historic arm barn and rotation in Astros history, the success carried into October. Through the 18-inning affair, eight pitchers were deployed, and the most impressive part of it all is that there was another 100 pitches sitting the bullpen.

José Urquidy didn't see the mound in the series, and as a last resort, he was available behind García, if the contest progressed, which was an advantage over Seattle. And if need be, Cristian Javier could've stepped in behind Urquidy, adding nine innings to the mix between the two.

García carved through the Mariners' depleted nine. He allowed just two hits, waving six batters, to sustain a whopping zero in the run column. And although consistent pitch efficiency and extended outings haven't been apart of his game, García was at 64 pitches by game's end.

During the regular season, García didn't make one appearance out of the bullpen. On Saturday, he looked like a seasoned veteran, tossing his best postseason outing since Game 5 of the 2020 ALCS.

In that contest, the Astros were down to starting either García — a pitcher who had yet to reach Double-A with five Major League outings behind him — or Chase De Jong.

Houston opted to take the rookie. Had they hadn't, García might not be in the position he is today. He rose in response to injury the following spring and hasn't left the roster since. 

There were questions on who the Astros would carry into the postseason, given their extended leverage of starting pitchers. But for García, he not only proved his worth but wrote his name into each postseason roster moving forward.

And what was the thorn last fall is now the strength. Falling into a bullpen role, García was at the forefront of the limited starting pitching options in 2021. 

Twenty-one years separated Seattle's last postseason experience from its latest. And on behalf of two lights-out pitching staffs, those in attendance experienced two games for the price one.

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