Maikel Garcia's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Kansas City Royals infielder Maikel Garcia (elbow) underwent a minor procedure to remove bone chips in his right elbow on Thursday. Garcia reported elbow soreness to the Royals after playing catch at home the week before Thanksgiving, which prompted the team to send him for an MRI exam, in which bone chips were found. Garcia is expected to be ready for spring training in February and is expected to return as the team's primary third baseman in 2025 after hitting .231/.281/.332 in 2024 with 27 doubles and 37 stolen bases. In addition to his 27 doubles and 37 stolen bases for the Royals in a career-high 157 games in his third year in the big leagues, the Venezuelan infielder hit a career-high seven home runs, drove in 58 runs and scored 84 runs in 626 plate appearances. The 24-year-old doesn't have typical home run power for a third baseman, but the speed is nice for a corner-infield target in fantasy.

Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia acted as an offensive catalyst in Monday's American League Division Series Game 2 4-2 win over the Yankees. Batting in the leadoff spot, Garcia went 4-for-5 with four singles, an RBI, and a strikeout. He also stole his third base of the playoffs. The 24-year-old mostly provided speed in the regular season, slashing .231/.281/.332 with seven home runs, 84 runs scored, 58 RBI, and 37 stolen bases in 626 plate appearances. However, he has provided speed and batting average this postseason, batting .400 in 15 at-bats. The Royals have scored the third-most runs so far in the playoffs, so Garcia offers exposure to that production while hitting at the top of their lineup for DFS leagues.

Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia is not in the starting lineup in Wednesday's series finale against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Paul DeJong will get the start at the hot corner and will bat sixth against Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee. Garcia will head to the bench after starting each of the team's last five games while going 6-for-19 with a homer, double and two stolen bases. The 24-year-old's playing time against right-handers has dwindled some in the second half of the season, though, since the acquisition of DeJong. Garcia is hitting .239/.287/.347 on the year with seven home runs, 52 RBI and a career-high 32 stolen bases in 129 games in his second full year in the big leagues. He's obviously been useful in all fantasy leagues for his speed, but he also isn't guaranteed a starting spot anymore when the team faces a righty.

Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia and outfielder Hunter Renfroe are both on the bench for Monday's tilt against the Los Angeles Angels at Kauffman Stadium. Paul DeJong is starting at the hot corner for the Royals and batting eighth, while Adam Frazier will get the start in right field and hit seventh against Angels right-hander Carson Fulmer. Garcia has given way to the veteran DeJong a bit more of late at third base in Kansas City. Perhaps it's because he's only hitting .236 (13-for-55) in 14 games in the month of August with no home runs. The Venezuelan infielder has been relevant in all fantasy leagues in 2024 because of his 30 stolen bases. Renfroe finally showed some signs of life at the plate over the weekend after recently going hitless in 24 straight plate appearances with nine strikeouts in six games.

Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will take another day off on Friday for the series finale against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. It's the second straight game sitting the bench for Garcia, with a scheduled day off on Thursday in between. It's the first time all season that he has sat in two straight games, so be on the lookout for a potential injury for Garcia. Veteran Paul DeJong is starting at the hot corner and is batting sixth for KC on Friday against Reds right-hander Nick Martinez. Garcia has been disappointing at the plate so far in August, going 10-for-45 (.222) with no homers, three doubles, three RBI and nine strikeouts in 12 games, so perhaps the Royals just want to get DeJong more playing time. DeJong, meanwhile, has gone 8-for-25 (.320) with two homers and five RBI in his first 10 games for the Royals after being acquired from the White Sox at the trade deadline.