From Nicaraguan Winter League to MLB Garabito stars in debut.
MINNEAPOLIS — Bruce Bochy, admittedly, did not know of Gerson Garabito’s existence until a few short weeks ago.
Garabito signed a Minor League deal with the Rangers in December, and he didn’t appear in big league camp during Spring Training. But Texas is in a pitching bind with six starters on the injured list. The Rangers need arms, and need them badly.
Enter Garabito.
The 28-year-old right-hander had been out of affiliated baseball for two years before joining the Rangers’ organization. He promptly arrived in Minnesota on Sunday to start Texas’ series finale against the Twins at Target Field, tossing 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball in the 6-2 win that halted a six-game losing streak.
“I don’t know what he was doing,” Bochy said of Garabito’s time out of affiliated ball. “I haven’t heard anything. We haven’t gotten that far yet since he just got here. What he was doing, what he was involved with, y’all will have to ask him and tell me.”
A Dominican Republic native, Garabito was originally signed as an international free agent by the Royals in September 2012. He spent seven seasons in the Kansas City system (2013-19) and one with the Giants (2021) before leaving affiliated ball.
Garabito appeared in the Dominican Winter League (2023-24 for Aguilas Cibaenas), Nicaraguan Winter League (2022-23 for Leones de León) and Venezuelan Winter League (2021-22 for Leones del Caracas). He combined to go 6-2 with a 2.86 ERA in 17 games (12 starts) over those international stints, but he wasn’t on many people’s radars stateside.
