Hitting a home run in baseball is one of the most impressive feats to witness in a game, especially during a high-stakes game. Doing it in the World Series is even more impressive, as it has the potential to cement oneself in World Series lore for years to come.
Atlanta Braves fans may have witnessed one the the greatest home runs ever hit in the 2021 World Series in Houston.
It all started in July of 2021, when the Braves were on the cusp of a .500 record as the trade deadline approached. At the deadline, they revamped their entire outfield, including acquiring veteran designated hitter Jorge Soler from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for right-hander Kasey Kalich.
During the 2021 season with his stints between the Royals and the Braves, Soler recorded a slash line of .223/.316/.432, along with 27 home runs and 70 RBIs. What stuck out the most with him were his home runs. When he hit one, it went far. In fact, his home runs that season averaged 422 feet which ranked as the second-longest average home run distance of all major league hitters that season.
His home run power would end up paying off in the biggest stage in baseball.
As the Braves took on the Houston Astros during the 2021 World Series, Soler's highlights included a lead-off homer in Game 1, followed by a pinch-hit go-ahead homer in Game 4 to give the Braves a 3-1 series lead.
However, the Braves lost Game 5, bringing the series back to Houston, which leads us to Soler's moment in time.
In Game 6, Soler came up to the plate as both the Braves and Astros were scoreless in the top of the third inning. On a 3-2 count, Soler completely silenced the roaring crowd at Minute Maid Park by completely destroying a 3-run homer to break the ice and give the Braves a 3-0 lead.
💪🏾 SOLER POWER!!! 💪🏾
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 3, 2021
Braves take a 3-0 lead #ForTheA #WorldSeries
(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/1CjJrgpqGx
It was Soler's third home run in the 2021 World Series which measured at a monster range of 446 feet. Some say it still hasn't landed.
The Braves would end up winning 7-0 as they took home their first World Series title since 1995. For his efforts, Soler was awarded World Series MVP, becoming the second Cuban-born player to win World Series MVP honors since Liván Hernández did so for the Miami Marlins in 1997.
“I knew I hit it well, but to be honest, immediately after I hit it, I turned around just to look at our dugout and start celebrating,” Soler said about his home run. “So, I didn't really see it go all the way out.”
Soler's monster home run now sits in not only in Braves lore but also in World Series lore for years to come.