The Atlanta Braves haven’t reached the World Series since winning it in 2021, but they’re trying to recapture the magic of that season with the return of pitcher Ian Anderson and outfielder Eddie Rosario.
Atlanta brought back two key members of that title run this week in time to open a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies in Denver on Monday night. The Braves posted a 6-3 victory for their eighth win in 10 games.
The Braves have not announced a starter for Tuesday’s game, while Colorado will send right-hander German Marquez (0-4, 9.30 ERA) to the mound.
Anderson was the winner in Game 3 of the 2021 World Series against the Houston Astros and pitched well that entire postseason. His stay in Atlanta ended when the Los Angeles Angels acquired him in spring training this year, but he was waived following an 0-1 record with an 11.57 ERA in seven relief appearances with them.
“This is like home to me,” Anderson said of Atlanta. “So it feels great coming back here. There’s so much familiarity. Just going to be about trying to tap into more of the positive results I’ve had this year, and just get things going.”
Rosario, the MVP of the 2021 National League Championship Series, is in his third tour with the Braves. He is expected to be used primarily as a pinch hitter.
Anderson and Rosario join a team that has surged after a slow start to the season.
“If it wasn’t the first two weeks of the season, if this happened in June or July, it wouldn’t been a big deal,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said.
The Rockies’ poor start has resulted in the worst record in the majors.
The team’s starting pitchers have combined to go 2-18, and the bullpen has been hit hard. Colorado is in the midst of a youth movement, with five players making their major league debut and six rookies on the 26-man roster.
One of those is 22-year-old infielder Adael Amador, whose ascension to the Rockies was expedited due to Thairo Estrada’s wrist injury.
Amador struggled at first but broke out this past weekend when he went 3-for-4 in a loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, including his first career home run. He also had a double on Monday, but there have been growing pains.
“He’s learning every day,” Rockies manager Bud Black said of Amador. “The thing I want him to realize is there’s a difference between the speed of players in the majors and in the minors, but it’s still the same game.”
Marquez has more experience than all the rookies combined but is still looking for his first win of the season. He became the first pitcher to have 1,000 strikeouts in a Colorado uniform in his last start but has struggled overall. He tossed six scoreless innings in his first start of the season but has allowed 21 earned runs over his last four outings.
He has not fared well against Atlanta, going 1-2 with a 6.65 ERA in four career starts.
–Field Level Media
