Yankees trade for Nationals’ Luis Garcia Jr. to bolster offense at deadline
CHICAGO — At long last, the Yankees are adding a bat.
The club is trading for Luis García Jr. from the Nationals, The Post’s Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman reported Sunday, acquiring the left-handed slugger in an attempt to provide some much-needed help to their scuffling lineup.
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They sent four pitching prospects to the Nationals — Jake Bird, Ben Grable, Yovanny Cruz and Jack Cebert.
García, who is not an ideal fit positionally but could get the bulk of his at-bats at first base or DH against righties, entered Sunday batting .283 with an .873 OPS and 23 home runs in 104 games. His .560 slugging percentage led the National League.
The 26-year-old, who is under team control through 2027, has been strictly a first baseman this season for the Nationals, but previously saw most of his action at second base, where he accrued a minus-17 Defensive Runs Saved in 2025 – the worst of any player at the position.
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The Yankees, who are trying to survive without Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton, could use García as a DH or first baseman against right-handed pitching, a role that the righty-hitting Amed Rosario filled on Sunday because they did not have any better options. Paul Goldschmidt has often been in the lineup against righties either at first base or DH (alternating with Ben Rice), but García would likely supplant the 38-year-old in that spot.
García was removed from Friday’s game with knee soreness, but was back in the lineup Saturday before the Nationals scratched him on Sunday, likely because of trade talks picking up.
