Kumar Rocker handed Texas Rangers reliever Robert Garcia a fire in the fifth inning of Saturday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

He put it out.

Rocker walked the first two batters of the inning and put the Rangers in a position where they might have given up part of their lead after scoring six runs in the top of the fifth. Garcia came in and took care of it. He got Ildemaro Vargas to fly out to left field, Ryan Waldschmidt to pop out to second base and Jordan Lawlar to strike out.

It was an inning good enough to help the Rangers secure a 6-2 win and give Garcia his first win of the season. It was also the crowning appearance of an efficient week for a reliever the Rangers activated at the start of the week after four months on the injured list.

“Garcia has been huge every time he's been out there umm since coming up the IL,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said to Rangers Sports Network after the game. “A really good job from our medical team to get him back and ready to go.”

Robert Garcia’s Resurgence

The Rangers placed Garcia on the 15-day injured list on April 23 with left shoulder inflammation. It was a long rehabilitation process. At times the left-hander, who was acquired for Nathaniel Lowe in a trade with the Washington Nationals in 2024, was completely shut down. There was potential that he might miss the entire season.

But his rehabilitation started picking up steam last month and he finally got to a rehab assignment last weekend at Triple-A Round Rock. Garcia was supposed to pitch two or three games at Round Rock, with the potential for a back-to-back appearance. He pitched just one inning because Texas needed reinforcements in its bullpen. The Rangers felt he was ready. He's proven them right this week.

In three appearances this week Garcia has thrown three innings and hasn’t allowed a hit, a run or a walk. He’s struck out four. Before he went on the injured list he had a 5.06 ERA in six April appearances. He also blew a save.

What's more, he's been efficient. While he threw 16 pitches on Saturday against Arizona, he threw 15 pitches combined in his two appearances against the Seattle Mariners earlier in the week.

Garcia has helped rescue the Rangers bullpen, even though it hasn't shown up in the win-loss record as the Rangers head into Sunday's game with Arizona seeking a road split. Garcia is unlikely to be available Sunday, but he should be a full go when the Rangers begin their home stand on Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox.