Freddy or not: Tigers Freddy Garcia

ARLINGTON — At this point of his career, there are more questions than answers for Tigers starter Freddy Garcia and his repaired right shoulder, but there are at least two certainties.

Garcia will start Wednesday night against the Rangers, marking his first big league appearance since last June while with the Phillies, and he will pitch for the Navigante del Magallanes in the Venezuelan Winter Leagues starting in October.

The rest, including Garcia’s future, is to be determined.

“First, I thank God that I’m back here and I made it back,” Garcia said. “I just hope to do a good job and see what happens. It’s been a long time and a lot of work, but I’m feeling good. I’m hoping to get one or two starts and then see where I am.”

The Tigers are just as curious. The club signed Garcia to a Minor League contract on Aug. 12, and he responded with five scoreless innings while pitching in the organization’s Minor Leagues. He’s also pitched a simulated game. Garcia had season-ending shoulder surgery on Sept. 1, 2007.

“My shoulder doesn’t hurt. It actually feels really good,” Garcia said. “Right now I have to build up arm strength, and I want to do that in Venezuela.”

Garcia said he expects to throw 70-75 pitches against Texas and is comfortable pitching in the hitter-friendly Rangers Ballpark in Arlington dating back to his days in the American League West with the Mariners. For his career, Garcia is 117-76 with a 4.07 ERA in 263 games. The two-time All-Star is a free agent at the end of the season.

“With Freddy, you are going to look at him in competition and see what he looks like,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. “I think it’s just a matter of getting him out there and trying to make some kind evaluation on when you think the arm strength will come back with a little more velocity. You try to project that.”

Leyland added that he’s not sure how many starts it will take for the club to evaluate Garcia’s progress, but Wednesday is a good starting point.

“He’s going to work his way back to the big leagues. There is no doubt in my mind,” Leyland said. “I believe that. Whether it is here or somewhere else, I don’t know. He’s just too proud of a guy and too much of a good competitor. He’s a good teammate and really impressive guy. I like him a lot, and I’m pulling for him.”

He’s not the only one.

“I’m really happy for Freddy, because he’s gone through a lot to get back here,” said countryman Magglio Ordonez. “I’m glad he’s with us, and we are going to do what we can to help him get a win.”