Adolis Garcia is a celebrity in Arlington, Texas, and many know him by his nickname: El Bombi.
The slugger debuted in 2018 with the Cardinals but didn't break out until his rookie season in 2021 with the Rangers. He earned his first of two All-Star nominations, mashing 31 home runs and 90 RBIs.
He followed his rookie campaign with back-to-back 100-RBI seasons and a 2023 World Series win with the Rangers. The outfielder also won his first Gold Glove in 2023.
In 2023, Garcia helped lead Texas to its first World Series in franchise history, setting career highs with 39 home runs and 107 RBIs. He won the 2023 ALCS MVP, and in Game 1 of the World Series, Garcia hit a walk-off home run that will forever live in Rangers' lore.
ADOLIS GARCIA WALKS OFF GAME 1 FOR THE RANGERS‼️ pic.twitter.com/5btsj1VT4w
— ESPN (@espn) October 28, 2023
El Bombi has a special place in Texas history, and he is among the MLB greats.
The Sporting News breaks down the origin of Garcia's nickname and why it stuck with him throughout his MLB career.
MORE: Adolis Garcia timeline of teams
Why is Adolis Garcia nicknamed 'El Bombi'?
Garcia's El Bombi nickname stems from his childhood. The Texas slugger was born and raised in Cuba.
One of Garcia's childhood friends came up with the nickname because he believed Garcia's head looked like a light bulb, which translates to "bombillo" in Spanish.
"Ah, so the nickname comes from my friend, my neighborhood friend," Garcia said. "He called me that because my head is shaped like a light bulb."
"Light bulb" (or "the light bulb") isn't fitting for a nickname, however, so it's much smoother when cut short and kept in Spanish.
El Bombi meaning
"El Bombi" is a shorter version of el bombillo, which translates to "the light bulb." It originates from Garcia's childhood friend who believed the Texas slugger's head was shaped like a light bulb.
The nickname has largely been pinned to Garcia's power at the plate, since "bombi" is so similar to "bomb" in both English and Spanish. "Bomb" in Spanish is "bomba."
Despite the similarity, Garcia confirmed his nickname has nothing to do with hitting home runs.