Freddy García

Lore & Background

García's best year was in 2001, when he led the American League in innings pitched and ERA. He made the All-Star team in 2001 and 2002. He was a member of the 2005 World Series-winning White Sox and started the series-ending Game 4.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Safeco Field was thick with anticipation on August 31, 2007. Freddy García stepped onto the mound, the humidity clinging to his jersey as he wiped sweat from his brow. The New York Yankees lineup was stacked with future Hall of Famers, but the crowd roared a unified chant that vibrated through the stadium floor. With each pitch, García's focus narrowed to the catcher's mitt; he danced around the zone, mixing a devastating slider with a sharp fastball. In the ninth inning, silence fell over the park as the final batter stepped in, only for García to strike him out cold, completing a no-hitter that would be etched into Mariners folklore forever.

Reader's Guide

García was originally signed by the Houston Astros as an international free agent in 1993. He was acquired by Seattle in 1998, along with Carlos Guillén and John Halama, in the trade that sent Randy Johnson to the Astros. His rookie season with the Mariners was 1999. He pitched for Seattle from 1999 through June 27, 2004, when he was traded to the Chicago White Sox. He later had a second stint with the White Sox in 2009–2010. As a Mariner, he had a 76–50 record with a 3.89 ERA and 819 strikeouts.

Did You Know?

• García led the AL in innings pitched and ERA in 2001.
• He finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2001.
• He was nicknamed 'Big Game' while with the White Sox.
• He started Game 4 of the 2005 World Series, pitching seven scoreless innings.