Braves Best Astros in World Series
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The baseball season ended Tuesday night with the Houston Astros losing Game Six of the World Series to the Atlanta Braves by a score of 7-0, solidifying the Braves as champions of baseball. This is only the second title for the Braves since moving to Atlanta in 1966.
The Braves managed to win the World Series despite the loss of No. 2 starter Mike Soroka before the season and only getting half a season out of perennial MVP candidate Ronald Acuna, Jr. Even the loss of former All Star starter Charlie Morton, who broke his leg on a comebacker in Game One, could not stop the Braves from winning it all.
During the Series the Braves outscored the Astros by only five total runs, and the two teams hit and got on base at very similar clips. The biggest difference between the two offenses was slugging percentage. The Astros hit only two home runs, both by Jose Altuve, all series and slugged a meager .299. The Braves, on the other hand, hit eleven home runs between five players (including World Series MVP Jorge Soler) and slugged .443.
Two of the Astros biggest bats, Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman, were held to only two hits apiece. Starting pitcher and baseball folk hero Zack Greinke contributed the same amount.
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It is worth noting that Altuve’s two home runs moved him past Bernie Williams and into second place all-time on the postseason home run list with 23.
““What can you do, except go home, take a shower, figure out how you’re going to come back and win it next year,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said after the loss. “Look, last year we got one game short of the World Series, and this year we were two games short of the championship. So I guess that’s progress.” Baker’s contract is up now that the year is over and it is uncertain if the Astros will offer him an extension. Baker adds, “I still have some unfinished business. I love these guys over here.”
In addition to Baker, the Astros have several big question marks going into the off season. There are nine players from the team that are entering free agency, most notably 2021 offensive WAR (wins above replacement) leader Carlos Correa. Other free agents include future Hall of Famers Justin Verlander, Greinke and AL batting champion Yuli Gurriel.
By Jordan Miesse
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