This day in Braves history: Atlanta dominates Houston to clinch World Series
Today is the two-year anniversary of an Atlanta Braves World Series title. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and remember why it was so special.
1. Emotional Roller Coaster
Entering the 2021 season, everyone knew the Atlanta Braves would be a good team. However, many still believed the New York Mets were better and would win the division. Early on, it appeared that was the case but how quickly things can change.
Things were bleak early on as the team struggled to get above .500 and just lacked consistency. It appeared they just didn't have the "it" factor that good teams have. They then lost their superstar outfielder, Ronald Acuna Jr., to a knee injury as he leapt for a ball in Miami.
It looked like a nail in the coffin for this Braves team but Alex Anthopoulos and the front office had other ideas as they brought Joc Pederson over to cover the loss of Acuna Jr. Pederson ended up being a spark for a clubhouse that seemed to lack energy and you could tell the morale boost that followed him to Atlanta.
Not long after that, AA went for it bring over 3 more outfielders and betting on his team. Eddie Rosario, Jorge Soler, and Adam Duvall all became major impacts for the Braves. They all contributed highly in the postseason as well. If Anthopoulos doesn't make those trades, this team doesn't win the World Series.
A monstrous month of August fueled the Braves' comeback to take the division lead. The Mets and Braves were each 14-13 in the month of July but it was August that made the difference. Atlanta went 18-8 during August as the Mets collapsed with a 9-19 record during that same month.
It took the entire month of September to decide the division but eventually, the Braves won the NL East for the 4th straight season with an 88-73 record. Atlanta was not expected to go deep into the playoffs so to be the last team standing was emotional in a great way.
2. They Beat the Best
After fighting their way into the playoffs, the Atlanta Braves had to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Houston Astros to be the last team standing. Atlanta had a recent history of getting eliminated by the Los Angeles Dodgers but 2021 was the year they got over the hump.
Beating the defending World Series champions and the juggernaut Houston Astros is no easy task and shows just how incredible the Braves' late-season run was. No one can make the argument that the 2021 Braves team had a cakewalk in the playoffs.
The Braves pitching staff made significant impacts in the postseason and it took a lot of tenacity from them to overcome the tough task of taking down both the Dodgers and Astros.
𝙽𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟸, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟷. pic.twitter.com/XnyC8EK7nD
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) November 2, 2023
3. All Hands on Deck
The biggest blow the Braves faced during the 2021 season, as mentioned earlier, was losing Ronald Acuna Jr. to an ACL tear. This weakened the lineup significantly and left holes in the outfield. Alex Anthopoluos jumped to the rescue.
The acquisitions of Adam Duvall, Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario, and Jorge Soler could not have been a better decision. AA absolutely earned his paycheck in 2021.
Throughout the playoffs, it was someone different in each series that stepped up. In the NLDS, Joc Pederson had multiple clutch homers. The NLCS, Eddie Rosario sent the Atlanta faithful into a frenzy after what proved to be a series-winning 3-run homer. In the World Series, Jorge Soler took home the MVP after mashing two massive home runs.
Couple that performance with timely pitching and you get a World Series title. This team had something incredibly special about them and they just found ways to win games. This adds some emphasis to the championship knowing that efforts to turn the team around did not go to waste.