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Adolis Garcia's Walk-Off Home Run Spoils Roki Sasaki's Best Start

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Eric W. Bolin | Last updated Apr 19, 2025 7:51 PM ET

After Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers radio broadcasters Matt Hicks, Eric Nadel and Jared Sandler discussed whether outfielder Adolis Garcia is a surefire Rangers Hall of Famer.

Garcia has just four full MLB seasons under his belt, plus cups of coffee in 2018 and 2020 and the first month of this year. But the three broadcasters seemed to agree he belongs.

After all, Texas does not win its World Series in 2023 without him. Garcia slashed .323/.382/.726 in 15 postseason games that postseason with eight home runs and 23 RBI. He's also a two-time All-Star, a Gold Glove winner and finished top 15 in Most Valuable Player voting.

Los Dodgers broadcasters may someday have a similar conversation about Roki Sasaki. The right-hander in his first season after coming over from Japan threw his best start of the year against the Rangers on Saturday.

But Garcia kept him from picking up his first win.

Sasaki allowed just two hits to the Rangers over six innings and left with a 3-2 lead. The Dodgers held it until former Rangers closer Kirby Yates, on for the save, gave up a two-run walk-off home run to Garcia, who planted the baseball over the left-centerfield wall.

Sasaki's six innings accounted for his deepest outing of the season. He struck out four and walked three, but was held to a no-decision because of the blown save.

Garcia clubbed his fourth home run of the season and tied for second in franchise history with four career walk-off homers, behind only a member of that Rangers Hall of Fame, Juan Gonzalez.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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