AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ASTROS VS RED SOX

October 21, 2021

Luis Garcia

Minute Maid Park

Houston Astros

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. How is your knee doing, and what adjustments have you made to sort of make sure that doesn't happen again with your knee?

LUIS GARCIA: My knee is doing really good right now. I feel really good, like normal. You know, some adjustments like mechanics, and not something, like, big, but it's okay. Nothing.

Q. Luis, did you guys find something about your mechanics that were causing the knee pain, or, I guess, what did you and Strommy kind of work on between starts?

LUIS GARCIA: I mean, that adjustment that I'm making or whatever, I think, is something that the staff has told me, like, years ago. It's just something, like, it happens all the time, but it's something that I forgot when I'm feeling good. But I have to do it if I started feeling bad or whatever, something like that. It's nothing.

Q. Luis, did you notice anything just about how Framber attacked their hitters yesterday that you can carry into your start?

LUIS GARCIA: I mean, he did a very good job yesterday attacking the strike zone and getting his pitches, so I think that's the thing that I can get to me and try to do tomorrow.

Q. Luis, just following up on Framber, what kind of motivation is it for you to watch what he was able to do last night and now with you getting the chance to perhaps close it out? How excited are you for this opportunity based on kind of what he was able to accomplish last night in a big game?

LUIS GARCIA: Yeah, I was really excited for him last night. I was really happy, thinking good thoughts to see him doing really good. And I'm really happy. I'm excited. I want to do good. I want to go tomorrow and compete, and that's what I want.

Q. How does the knee feel? What kind adjustments do you feel like you need to make to be successful tomorrow?

LUIS GARCIA: I feel really good. Thank God, the knee feels good. The treatment has been very helpful for me, and the adjustments now it's just about going out and trying to do the best job that I can and give the best of me every out.

Q. Did Framber give you any decent advice on facing the Red Sox?

LUIS GARCIA: You could can say that. I think the biggest thing is that his happiness is contagious, and that's the biggest piece of advice to take is to take that same mentality and that same energy and use it to have success tomorrow against the Red Sox.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about what Martin Maldonado has meant to you personally as a pitcher, just the way he works with pitchers? How has he helped you, and what does it mean to have him behind the plate?

LUIS GARCIA: To have Maldi behind the plate is a real plus. I'm happy with him, everybody, like, Castro, I'm happy. I think he's doing a really good job with us, and I think he will do the same tomorrow, so I'm just going to try and do my best. That's what I can do.

Q. I'm sorry. I missed the first part of this, Luis, but did you make a mechanical adjustment, and if so, how do you think that will help you with the knee issue heading into this start?

LUIS GARCIA: It will help me, but I think tomorrow I don't have to think too much on that because if I start thinking that, I will lose focus on what I need to do. I think I'm just going to focus on what I have to do and that is throw strikes and all that stuff, and that's what I need to be focused on tomorrow.

Q. Was it a matter of going over video, or was it a matter of going over with Strommy and the other pitching coaches to figure that out?

LUIS GARCIA: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's just something that they compare videos, and they try to find a solution, and I think it's helping me right now.

Q. What's the feeling in the clubhouse right now coming home with the advantage, and if there's any kind of words of wisdom or advice that Dusty gave the team coming back?

LUIS GARCIA: It's a really good feeling with the team right now. We have to focus on staying consistent with it and just taking every game like we started and being consistent with it and continue having good vibes on the team.

Q. Do you feel this is the biggest start of your career, and what would it mean to be a piece of the key being able to punch their ticket to the World Series?

LUIS GARCIA: Yeah, it's big start for me tomorrow, obviously, but I try not to think about that too much. I try not to complicate my mind thinking about how big it is. I think of it as another normal outing and do everything that I can do to help my team try to get to the World Series.