The New York Yankees' acquisition of infielder Luis García Jr. from the Washington Nationals has sparked a strong reaction from the fan base, and not all of it is celebratory.

New York sent four right-handed pitchers to Washington on Sunday to land García: major-league reliever Jake Bird, recently debuted righty Yovanny Cruz, and two of the organization's top prospects in Jack Cebert and Ben Grable.

García is having the best season of his career, hitting .283 with 23 home runs, 76 RBIs, an .873 OPS, and a 134 wRC+ in 104 games for the Nationals. Especially against righties, Garcia is batting .295 with 20 home runs and a .918 OPS.

"He's been a hitter who has really come of age this year. One of the best left-vs-right hitters in the National League," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Garcia after the move, per ESPN.

"We think he fits our ballpark very well and should hopefully give a little jolt to our offense which has obviously scuffled a little over an extended period."

But at what position exactly will Garcia play for the Yankees?

Primarily played second base over his first six major league seasons, Garcia moved to first base this year.  The Yankees already have veteran Paul Goldschmidt and young star Ben Rice for that position.

When Giancarlo Stanton comes back from his injury, it will be even more crowded.

There is a small chance Garcia could go back to second base, and the current second baseman, Jazz Chisholm Jr., could move to third base. But Chisholm Jr. likes playing second base, and Garcia had a really tough time playing defense at second base last year. So, that also seems unlikely.

Fans Aren't Fully Satisfied with the Garcia Trade

García has played almost exclusively first base and DH for Washington this season.

And the Yankees already have both spots more or less accounted for between Goldschmidt and Rice— before even considering Stanton, who typically DHs and has been out since April.

That's why one fan said: "This is such an atrocious deal. Where the hell is Rice gonna play when Judge and Stanton are back? Dumb move and we gave up way too much."

One fan simply added, "1B… the one position that isn't broken. 😂"

Rice has been one of the best hitters on the roster, slashing .266/.354/.561 with 31 home runs and a .915 OPS. And Goldschmidt, a potential future Hall of Famer, has been genuinely excellent against left-handed pitching with a .306 batting average and a .987 OPS.

One fan added the real issue: "And he's a very good hitter, but maybe you guys need to get some guys who can fill positions that have bad hitters. We really don't need a first base/DH. Still a lot of work to do."

The Yankees need a right-handed hitting catcher. Austin Wells has struggled badly at the plate this season. They also need stability at third base. Ryan McMahon has been up and down, and Amed Rosario is about to become a free agent.

Plus, after trading away four pitchers, the bullpen is now thinner than it was yesterday.  García is a left-handed hitter, just like many others on the roster. García is left-handed, like many Yankees; the team needed a right-handed bat instead

That's why one fan wrote sarcastically, "Great. If only we needed him."

One fan even pointed out the risk factor, writing, "Great. He committed MANY errors at 2B last season and bats left-handed. How does it improve defense and hitting?!" 

It's a fair question. García's minus-17 DRS at second base last year was among the worst marks at the position in the majors. And his offensive track record before this season was inconsistent at best.

So is this trade all bad for the Yankees? Not necessarily. García is a legitimately excellent hitter right now.

And buying a year and a half of his prime for four pitchers — none of them a proven top-of-the-rotation piece — is a defensible price. But the fan frustration isn't unreasonable either.

Read more at the New York Yankees Community!

Written by

Md Saife Fida