Top 5 Playoff Moments from the Atlanta Braves 2021 World Series Team
As the Braves gear up for the 2023 playoffs, we thought it would be motivating to relive some of the best moments from the 2021 World Series team.
As the Atlanta Braves prepare for the 2023 postseason, we thought it would be fun to look back on some of the most exciting moments from the 2021 playoffs that resulted in the second World Series Championship in franchise history.
There are plenty of great memories and moments to choose from as 2021 was one of the most eventful seasons for Atlanta. They reconstructed their entire outfield and barely hovered at the .500 mark during the first half.
They turned things around in a big way that second half and produced one of the most exciting postseason runs ever seen. Let's relive some of those now.
The Path to World Champs
5. Tyler Matzek Strikes Out the Side
In 2021, the Braves were facing the Dodgers in the NLCS. Luke Jackson had gotten the Braves into a mess as he allowed the Dodgers to get runners on 2nd and 3rd with no one out. Tyler Matzek was summoned from the Atlanta bullpen in the 7th inning with a two-run lead.
Things did not look promising for the Braves with their backs against the wall and a powerful Dodgers lineup at the dish. However, they ran into the human wall that is Tyler Matzek.
Matzek did not back down and ended up striking out Albert Pujols, Steven Souza, and Mookie Betts to leave the tying run stranded in scoring position. This sent Truist Park into a frenzy as this became a defining moment of the 2021 postseason.
4. Eddie Rosario 3-run Blast in NLCS
The NLCS in 2021 brought a lot of excitement. Both teams brought their A-game for the entire series and Game 6 was no different. In a tie game with 2 outs and 2 strikes, Eddie Rosario sent the Atlanta faithful into a frenzy with a go-ahead three-run shot. This home run was the turning point in the game which led the Braves to a World Series appearance.
This is the moment that immortalized Eddie Rosario into Braves legend. It's the reason fans still chant "Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!" every time he's up to bat. He can strike with a clutch hit at a moment's notice. That home run gave Rosario 14 hits in the NLCS which was the most by any Braves player in a single series in the playoffs.
3. Dansby Swanson and Jorge Soler Back-to-Back
The Braves had a 2-1 series lead going into Game 4 of the World Series. Entering the 7th inning of the fourth game of the series, Atlanta was trailing by just one run. Enter Dansby Swanson and Jorge Soler, who blasted back-to-back home runs to give the Braves the lead. This led to Atlanta winning Game 4 and taking a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Astros.
The 2021 Braves were one of the best clutch-hitting teams in all of the league. It just seemed that no matter the size of the moment, they were prepared to come through. This moment would have been huge no matter where it happened but the fact that it happened at Truist Park made it all the more special.
2. Eddie Rosario Catch in NLCS Game 4
Speaking of game 4 of the World Series, the Braves had a 3-2 lead in the top of the 8th inning. With two outs, Jose Altuve came to the plate looking to do damage. Altuve drove a ball to deep left field that left Braves fans holding their breath. Off the bat, it looked like a no-doubt game-tying home run. Then Eddie Rosario did this:
Rosario was not known for having great defense so that made this catch even more unprobable. Somehow, he was able to reach out at the very last moment and snag a ball that intially looked like a home run. It ended up being just short of the wall but had he not caught it, it would have given the Astros a chance at tying the game.
1. Jorge Soler Cleared for Takeoff in Game 6
Tensions were high in Game 6 of the 2021 World Series. The game was scoreless and Atlanta was threatening to change that. Jorge Soler came to the plate with runners on first in second and two outs. He was one of the most feared hitters on this Braves team in 2021 as he always seemed to find a way to hit a big homer.
Soler battled himself into a 2-2 count. Then he blasted a 3-run shot completely out of the stadium to give the Braves a 3-0 lead. Someone should have called Mission Control so they were prepared for this rocket launch.
Still waiting for this one to land.
— MLB (@MLB) November 16, 2021
Jorge Soler's Game 6 blast takes home the 2021 Legendary Moment Award pres. by @budweiserusa. pic.twitter.com/AuhBnWU3ml
This homer sucked all of the air out of Minute Maid Park and became the spark plug to cap off a World Series Championship with a convincing 7-0 win over the Astros. This moment has become one of the most iconic in recent Braves history. When they show highlights of this World Series, this is typically the first clip you will see.
Soler went on to win the World Series MVP award. It was a perfect bookend as he started off the first game of the series with a homer and hit this home run in Game 6 which would be the final game of the series. From trade deadline acquisition to Atlanta Braves legend.
What a majestic home run to cap off what was an incredible season of fighting through adversity to prove just how good they were. Not once did this team lose hope despite struggling in the first half. The 2021 Braves were an incredibly special team.