For many Atlanta Braves fans, seeing the organization win a World Series title would be a first.
The Braves haven’t won a championship since 1995, and since then, a whole new generation of fans has emerged.
It has been too long since Atlanta’s last title.
But in 2021, the franchise has a chance to capture one.
The Braves are just three wins away from closing out the Houston Astros in the World Series, and Atlanta is going to have a chance to do it at home.
That’s certainly easier said than done, but the opportunity is there for the taking.
If Atlanta wants to get the job done — at home or on the road — it could really use a strong showing from Eddie Rosario the rest of the way.
Here’s what to know.
Rosario Was Unstoppable In The NLCS
Rosario was a force to be reckoned with in the 2021 NLCS.
The Los Angeles Dodgers trotted out some elite arms against the Braves, but Atlanta was not intimidated, and Rosario an unforgettable series.
The 30-year-old finished the NLCS with a slash line of .560/.607/.1040.
If you’re doing the math at home, that’s a 1.647 OPS.
He homered three times, tripled once, and doubled once.
He also drove in nine runs.
Rosario was a nightmare for Dodgers pitching to deal with, and when all was said and done, L.A. never found a way to contain him.
He wound up winning NLCS MVP honors as a result.
Obviously, there’s no way of knowing whether or not Atlanta would have won that series without Rosario’s contributions.
He stole the show.
He Has Cooled Off In The World Series
Unfortunately for Rosario, it seems like the time between the NLCS and World Series might have put an end to his torrid stretch.
He did start the World Series strong, going 2-for-5 in Game 1 en route to a Braves victory.
But in Game 2, he finally went hitless for the first time in the 2021 postseason.
The NLCS hero went 0-for-4 in Game 2 against Houston, and Atlanta took a lopsided loss.
The series is now tied 1-1.
For the Braves to win this thing, Rosario is going to have to channel his NLCS-self.
There’s no better time for him to get back on track than Game 3.
Luis Garcia will be toeing the rubber for the Astros in the third game of the series, and he has never faced the Braves before.
For that reason, it’s tough to evaluate how he’s going to perform against Atlanta.
But here’s what we do know: Garcia is a righty, and Rosario’s career numbers against righties are very impressive.
The Braves star has a career OPS of .813 against right-handed pitchers compared to just a .702 mark against southpaws.
Clearly, that’s a big gap.
Rosario is likely happy to know that a righty will be on the mound in Game 3.
We’ll have to wait and see if he’s able to take advantage of that.
First pitch is set for 8:09 p.m. EST from Truist Park in Atlanta.
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