The 2021 MLB season was one for the books. Covid-19 protocols still made an impact during this season, and a huge group of rising young stars made for an intense season, and an even more intense postseason.

The post-season began in early October with the WildCard games where the Boston Red Sox defeated the NY Yankees, and the LA Dodgers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals. Our home team, the Philadelphia Phillies just nearly missed the wildcard game and the rest of the postseason by 1 and a half games… maybe next year.

Then the semifinals, or the American League and National League division series began. On the American League side, the Tampa Bay Rays played the wildcard winners Boston Red Sox, and the Chicago White Sox played the Houston Astros. The Boston Red Sox finished the regular season as the number 2 team in the AL East, just below the Rays (who also happened to win 100 games, a hard task to accomplish), and in an intense 4 game series, Boston defeated the Rays and moved onto the Championship series. The Houston Astros defeated the White Sox in another intense 4 game series. Although Houston fans remained loyal, just about everyone else wanted the White Sox to win after Houston’s cheating scandal in 2017. 

Boston and Houston then played each other in the AL Championship series. The Astros defeated the hopeful Red Sox in a 6 game series. The Astros would be going to the World Series again, just 4 years after their cheating scandal. 

On the other side of the country, the National League series was going on. The Wildcard winner Dodgers played the San Francisco Giants. The Giants came in first at the end of the regular season with 107 wins and the Dodgers second with 106. The 2020 World Champion Dodgers defeated the Giants in typical post-season style. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves were playing the Milwaukee Brewers and eventually defeated them moving on. The Braves and Dodgers played each other in the NL Championship Series. Two of the biggest name teams in baseball battled it out and eventually, the Braves beat out the Dodgers heading to the World Series for the first time since 1999.

This meant it was the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves in the World Series. The Braves suffered numerous injuries including Charlie Morton who went out after a comebacker hit him in Game 1 of the series. Similarly, the Braves lost Marcell Ozuna and their Silver Slugger Award-winning young star Ronald Acuña Jr. The Astros also suffered injuries including Alex Bregman and others. The Braves struck first winning the first game, but the Astros countered in the second making it 1-1. The Braves then won the next two with Houston following with only one win. The Braves won game six with a score of 7-0 and officially became the 2021 World Series Champions.

The Braves hit 11 home runs in the World Series and Jorge Soler won the World Series MVP Award. Brave’s fans were ecstatic for all of the players, but especially manager Brian Snitker and first baseman Freddie Freeman as they gave their heart and soul to the Braves organization. Freeman spoke on how badly he wanted to win for his manager and then spoke on his success, “I’m lost for words. This is it. This is everything you work for.” 

The Atlanta Braves earned their World Series title, and the rest of the postseason teams showed their success. Hopefully, Philadelphia fans will get to experience postseason baseball next season.