ARLINGTON, Texas — How can you not be romantic about baseball? It’s a question Texas Rangers right fielder Adolis García asks time and time again. 

“I mean, I love everything,” Adolis said. “I’ve been playing this game for a long time and I love to hit homers, obviously.”

The Rangers don’t slot him at the clean-up position for nothing. He’s so electric at the plate, fans call him “El Bombi.” The origin of the iconic nickname, however, is not what you’d expect.

“Ah, so the nickname comes from my friend, my neighborhood friend,” said Adolis. “He called me that because my head is shaped like a light bulb.”

So, Adolis has the head shape of a light bulb, the arm of a cannon and a swing as pretty as can be. Adolis hails from Ciego de Ávila, Cuba, and holds his hometown dear to his heart. He grew up playing in his home country, but becoming a major leaguer was not initially on his career blueprint. 

“The first time I just wanted to play for the Cuban national team,” Adolis said. “That was one of my biggest dreams. Then when I was playing the national series in Cuba, I was thinking about trying something else. So I thought, why not the best baseball in the world?”

After a short stint with the St. Louis Cardinals, Adolis became a Texas Ranger in 2020. His impact with the organization is as clear as day.

“He’s got a great makeup about him,” said Rangers manager Bruce Bochy. “He’s really just a tough guy who wants to be up there in the biggest moments.”

The play of Adolis has been remarkable and so has the team’s. The Rangers entered the month of May first place in the AL West and with the second-best run differential in baseball. Texas is real. But you don’t have to tell "El Bombi" that.

“This is a really good group,” he said proudly. “There’s a lot of guys with so much talent. We have amazing energy, which is why we are playing so good. I hope we keep playing as a family."