Yes LA and Boston there is still baseball to be played . The Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros will kick off the 2021 World Series Tonight. With a better regular season record, The Astros have home-field advantage so game one and two will be played at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Games three, four and five will open at Truist Park.
Your 2021 Atlanta Braves #WorldSeries roster:#BattleATL pic.twitter.com/5JkIdKwuHs — Atlanta Braves (@Braves) October 26, 2021
How they got here
The Braves are making their first trip back to the World Series since 1999, reaching this point by first defeating the Milwaukee Brewers in four games in the NLDS . then ousting the reigning champions Dodgers, in a six-game series that avenged Atlanta’s loss in last year’s NL Championship Series.
Our #WorldSeries lineup is set.#ForTheH pic.twitter.com/zdhO6tVdsa — Houston Astros (@astros) October 26, 2021
The Astros, who are competing in their third World Series in five years, knocked off the Chicago White Sox in four games during the ALDS. out-slugged the Red Sox in six games in the ALCS. The Astros are seeking their second championship in team history.
what it comes down too
The story of this series is going to come down to Pitching , Do the Astros have enough arm to lock down the Braves bats ? True the Red Sox were riding a hot streak into the ALCS but this Braves team is loaded from top to bottom, and know how to knock in runs . Can Dusty Baker pull off another bullpen type series win ? I am not so sure.
The Braves, likewise, used the bullpen to end the Dodgers season. A.J. Minter has been lights out since returning from a minor-league stint in July, and Tyler Matzek crushed the Dodgers’ spirit with his strikeout prowess in Game 6 vs LA. I would bet more on the Braves pen holding up.
MVP🏆MVP🏆MVP🏆 Yordan hit for the highest AVG in #ALCS history! #ForTheHhttps://t.co/bAnyiUtiZR pic.twitter.com/ko7XUBRqb6 — KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) October 23, 2021
Houston’s biggest advantage remains its lineup’s ability to put balls in play. The Astros struck out less than any other team in the MLB this season, and it has come through for them in every crucial moment this postseason. Balls in play mean more chances to get on base. you get on base and that means more chances to force the opposition into throwing mistakes and defensive miss-ques.
No one outside of Texas and Dusty Baker’s immediate family will be rooting for the Astros in the series; they have become the evil empire of MLB. There is little to like about this squad of unrepentant blowhards. Atlanta on the other hand will be adopted by the masses and even the good people of Los Angeles at least the ones watching should be on the Braves bandwagon.
My prediction ? This will be the least watched World Series in history. And the Braves will win in six