Garcia's clutch hit vs. reigning Cy Young winner a bright spot in tough 2026

PITTSBURGH -- On one hand, Maikel Garcia is happy. On the other hand, the Royals’ third baseman is a little sad.

Garcia is thankful to be back in the starting lineup for the final days of the 2026 regular season. He has been limited to just 76 games, because of a partial tear of his left hamstring and just returned from the injured list on Tuesday after missing 21 games.

“I didn’t think I might play again this year, so I’m thankful,” Garcia said following Friday night’s 8-5 loss to the Pirates to open a three-game series at PNC Park. “I just wish there were more games left.”

Garcia had high hopes for 2026 after making his first All-Star Game appearance last season, then signing a five-year, $57.5 million contract extension that runs through 2030 and includes a club option for ‘31.

Alas, Garcia is slashing .262/.318/.378 with three home runs.

However, the 26-year-old provided a bright spot against Pittsburgh in what turned out to be a frustrating night for Kansas City. Garcia’s two-run double in the third inning helped the Royals build a 4-0 lead against reigning National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes.

Still, they eventually lost for the 12th time in their last 17 games despite home runs by Vinnie Pasquantino and Michael Massey.

“We think the world of Mikey,” manager Matt Quatraro said of Garcia. “We committed a lot of years and a lot of money to him, because we think he’s a really good player who can help us win. Getting him back on the field is important for us, and it’s good for him, too.

“He probably thought his season was over, but he worked very hard through the rehab process to get back. And he got a big hit in a big spot.”

Just eight games remain for the Royals, so there isn’t a whole lot of season left to salvage for Garcia. Yet, he appreciates what few days remain and getting a big hit off a Cy Young winner.

“I like to face the best pitchers,” Garcia said with a smile. “It makes me fight that much harder. It felt really good to get a big hit there with a couple of guys on base. It’s been a tough year for me personally, but we have come back here, we want to finish the season healthy, and we want to help the team win some games. I want to go home for the winter with a good feeling.”

The usually unflappable Randy Dobnak admittedly was fighting some feelings when he took the mound in his hometown for just the second time in his career. The right-hander grew up in suburban South Park, Pa.

Dobnak’s previous appearance at PNC Park came with the Twins in 2020. However, fans weren’t permitted to attend games during that pandemic-shortened season. Dobnak estimated he had at least 200 family members and friends in the stands and had attended approximately 300 games in this ballpark.

“This was really kind of special,” Dobnak said. “After I threw my last warm-up pitch, I stood there on the mound and took it all in. Growing up, this was the place I always wanted to be. I caught myself almost getting a little bit emotional out there.”

Dobnak paused and chuckled.

“That quickly changed when I threw my first pitch and [Konnor] Griffin singled right back up the middle,” he said.

Unfortunately for Dobnak and his throng of supporters, that signaled what was to come. He lasted just 3 2/3 innings and gave up four runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out one.

Dobnak left with a 5-3 lead, but the Pirates rallied against the Royals’ bullpen. Spencer Horwitz’s two-run single off Nate Pearson in a three-run seventh inning broke a 5-5 tie.

“I think the biggest thing was first-pitch strikes with Randy,” Quatraro said. “It was an interesting game for him. There were four hits down the third-base line from a left-handed hitter and a couple of infield hits. He had a lot of traffic to deal with.”