Fans of the Atlanta Braves won't have look too far back to remember when Will Smith was closing games for the Braves and giving fans heartburn along the way. It seemed like every appearance was colored with extra baserunners and solo homers to make games closer than they needed to be. Despite losing his role as a closer and resorting to bouncing around after the Braves traded him away, Smith achieved a rare feat last night when Texas won their first World Series by winning his third straight ring with THREE DIFFERENT TEAMS.
Will Smith just won his third straight World Series ring against all odds
While Will Smith's overall tenure with the Braves was suspect at best, there is no denying the guy was nails during the Braves' World Series title run in 2021. He didn't give up a single earned run in any of his 11 appearances and was a big reason why the Braves were able to secure their first championship since 1995.
However, his regular season performance slipped even more and the Braves decided to cut bait and trade him to the Astros in the ill-fated deal that brought in Jake Odorizzi. Smith wasn't particularly great in Houston and got left off the ALDS and ALCS rosters, but Houston did add him back for the World Series and he got his second ring in a row.
Texas decided to roll the dice on Smith for 2023 and signed him to a cheap one year deal before the season. True to form, Smith posted a 4.40 ERA in 60 appearances for the Rangers and opposing batters hit .271 against him which is decidedly not great. However, Texas' bullpen was lacking in depth this year and they carried him throughout the playoffs and after their convincing win last night, Smith found himself with his third World Series ring in a row.
Sometimes guys can carry a team to postseason success, but Will Smith is an example of a guy that was in the right places at the right times. Good for him.