Yankees acquire Luis Garcia Jr. from Nationals as MLB trade deadline heats up

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garcia-luis/UywRVrs0/"]Garcia[/a], 26, was scratched from Sunday's lineup ahead of the team's matchup against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-braves/0UPxbDYA/"]Atlanta Braves[/a]. The seven-year vet has spent his entire career with the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/washington-nationals/CE026gRp/"]Nationals[/a] and is in the midst of a career season.[/p][embed guid="b9ca42d5-da67-469a-8877-2a1862a705c1" url="https://x.com/MLB/status/2084026541470572588?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The lefty is hitting a career-best .283 with a National League-leading .560 slugging percentage. It is the first year in which Garcia is posting an OPS above .800 (.873). His 23 home runs and 76 RBI are already crushing his previous high of 18-70 from 2024. [/p][p]Garcia is arbitration-eligible in 2027 and is scheduled to be a free agent the following year. [/p][p]After making his debut in 2020, Garcia struggled to find his current power at the plate in his first four years in the league. Despite hitting above .265 in three of those years, he still sat at single-digit home runs and never eclipsed 50 RBI. [/p][p]Granted, he also didn't reach 100 games played until 2024 either. Now, Garcia heads to the Yankees (62-49), who will make use of his surging bat as they make a World Series push. [/p][embed guid="8f664a86-c517-47dc-81c7-02acad0d9cad" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZIIsQaIYMU" social-type="youtube" /][h2]Nationals' return[/h2][p]Cruz is a 26-year-old righty who has pitched in four games with the Yankees this season, giving up just one run on three hits with six strikeouts in 5.1 innings. [/p][p]In 31 games through Triple-A this season, Cruz has a 3.53 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 35.2 innings.[/p][p]Bird is the oldest of the four pitchers heading to Washington at 30. He's tossing a brutal 5.93 ERA in 36 games. The veteran has never finished a season with an ERA below 4.30.[/p][p]On the prospect end, 24-year-old Grable (Yankees' No. 15 prospect) has a 2.45 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 36.2 innings this year between High-A (six games) and Double-A ball (26 games).[/p][p]Cebert, also 24 and the Yankees' No. 14 prospect, has a 4.03 ERA with 96 strikeouts in 82.2 innings at the same levels as Grable, playing in three games (two starts) at High-A and 13 games (12 starts) in Double-A. [/p][infobox id="3e982646-21d3-4baf-ac34-10f731dff476" /]