ATLANTA (AP) — Luis García Jr. wanted to help but could only watch as the Washington Nationals suffered their fifth straight loss on Sunday.García was scratched about 30 minutes before a 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves. He watched the game from the dugout.A short time later, the New York Yankees announced they got García in a trade with the Nationals in exchange for four pitchers. “I mean, it was weird, uncomfortable, going out to a dugout and then having all the other teammates look at you,” García said through a translator.García has spent his career with the Nationals but acknowledged he was excited to move to the Yankees.“I mean it’s a mix of both sad and happy,” García said. “There’s a new chapter in my career, so yeah, 50-50 right now.”In exchange for García, the Nationals received right-handed pitchers Jake Bird, Yovanny Cruz, Jack Cebert and Ben Grable.
When asked after Sunday’s 2-1 win at the Chicago Cubs about a trade for García, Yankees manager Aaron Boone was not in a mood to confirm.The Yankees open a three-game series against the Cardinal in St. Louis on Monday night. There was no official word on whether García would be with the team.Bird, 30, has a 5.93 ERA in 30 games with the Yankees this season, all in relief. Cruz, 26, has a 1.69 ERA in four games. Grable and Cebert have spent the full season in the minors.
