Rosario, Braves Dreaming Big With 3-1 Lead

Eddie Rosario, a left fielder of the Atlanta Braves team, has put up one of the best hitting performances in the history of the Braves franchise. When asked whether the performance exceeded his greatest dreams, the baseball professional was quick to reply in the affirmative, although he also added that he’s still dreaming of bigger things.

After claiming a 9-2 win over the Dodgers in the fourth game of the National League Championship Series, the Braves are only one win away from the World Series. The game, which was held on Wednesday, 20th October at Dodger Stadium, saw Eddie Rosario rise as one of the best performers by managing four hits along with a pair of home runs.

Speaking with the aid of an interpreter, Rosario stated that he kind of wanted more at this point. He was thinking about the next thing (game) and was full of hope that they could get there too.

The Braves had acquired a similar 3-1 lead against the Dodgers during the 2020 NLCS too. But ultimately, the latter was able to overcome the deficit – something that the Braves would want to avoid this time around. And the team seems well equipped for that!

According to Freddie Freeman, Braves’ first baseman, this year will be different from last year as they are back with a new team. The Braves have reconstructed their team by bringing in four new outfielders after the All-Star break. The new players have also accounted for the absence of Ronald Acuna Jr., who is unavailable due to injury. Compared to last year, the Atlanta Braves seem to be a much better team presently.

Rosario and Adam Duvall, both of whom had put up impressive performances, were among the new additions to the team. While Rosario joined Marcell Ozuna as the only Braves who have managed two home runs in four hits in a postseason match, Duvall kickstarted the second innings with consecutive home runs against the opposing team.

In fact, they are the only Braves to hit consecutive home runs in a postseason baseball game after Javy Lopez and Vinny Castilla’s performance in the 2002 NLDS (Game 2).

For Rosario, the first home run in Game 4 made all the difference. The player later said that he was proud of his efforts. He further said that he came intending to showcase his talents and what kind of player he is. And looking at his fantastic performance, he sure seems to have achieved that!

The Atlanta Braves acquired Rosario on 30th July this year from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Pablo Sandoval. For the Braves, including Rosario in the team was no less than a gamble. The player had been down on the injured list until late August due to an abdominal injury. For the Indians, on the other hand, it was a financially motivated move.

The gamble seems to have paid off well for the team, though. While the team intended to use him as a backup outfielder, Rosario seemed to have different plans. He solidified his position in the team with his consistent performance in the regular-season games. He ended up with a .903 OPS along with scoring 7 home runs over 33 regular games. He even managed to hit a cycle against the San Francisco Giants in September.

As for the post-season games, Rosario has achieved a remarkable 1.248 OPS over 8 playoffs. With Jorge Soler being on the Covid-19 injured list, the Atlanta Braves are counting on Rosario to boost their winning chances in the upcoming games.