With Wright & Gore in, Braves set WS roster

With Wright & Gore in, Braves set WS roster

October 26th, 2021

ATLANTA -- Right-hander Kyle Wright made two appearances at the Major League level during the regular season and outfielder Terrance Gore’s only big league experience this year consisted of being a pinch-runner during a National League Division Series game.

But both Wright and Gore were placed on the Braves’ World Series roster, which was announced Tuesday morning. They replace right-hander Jacob Webb and infielder Johan Camargo, who had both been on Atlanta’s NL Championship Series roster.

Wright is an extremely talented pitcher, though he hasn’t lived up to expectations since being selected by the Braves with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. The right-hander tasted success last year, but he made just two starts this year, with the most recent being on June 23, when he allowed five runs in two innings to the Mets.

The Braves sent Wright down after that outing and watched him post a 2.18 ERA and limit opponents to a .197 batting average over his 13 starts for Triple-A Gwinnett. The 26-year-old right-hander will provide the Braves length as a reliever. There’s also a chance he could become a candidate to start Game 4, which could be a bullpen game.

“Kyle had been throwing really, really well at Triple-A for a while now,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “It's not a small sample size. We go back and look, and he's really maturing as a pitcher.”

Gore spent the entire regular season with Gwinnett and then made his Atlanta debut when he served as a pinch-runner in Game 2 of the NLDS. That was the speedster’s only appearance during that series, and he wasn’t placed on the Braves’ NLCS roster.

Here is a look at each of the 26 players on the Braves’ World Series roster:

CATCHERS

: When d’Arnaud missed three months with a torn ligament in his left thumb this year, it was easier to notice the significant value he brings to the club. The veteran catcher is a proven game-caller with the ability to provide some power at the bottom of the lineup.

: Contreras gained valuable experience when he was prematurely rushed to the Majors to serve as Atlanta’s starter after d’Arnaud began his lengthy IL stint in May. The young prospect wasn’t ready to be an everyday catcher, but he has improved defensively and his bat plays at the big league level.

INFIELDERS

: The reigning National League MVP Award winner hit a tiebreaking solo homer with two outs in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the NL Division Series to help send the Braves to the NL Championship Series. Freeman has produced a 1.072 OPS so far this postseason.

: Albies earned his second All-Star selection this season and ranked among the game’s leaders in extra-base hits (77). The 24-year-old switch-hitter recorded his first 30-homer season, and he holds the franchise record for most career homers hit by a second baseman (90).

: Swanson produced one of his finest offensive seasons, slashing .248/.311/.449 with 27 home runs and 88 RBIs (both career highs), and he consistently made great defensive plays. This was also Swanson’s most complete season since the D-backs took him with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2015 MLB Draft.

: Riley enjoyed a 33-homer, 107-RBI season that should earn him MVP consideration for the first time. The young slugger established himself as Atlanta’s everyday third baseman in April, and he was the club’s most consistent offensive player throughout the season.

: Adrianza is a switch-hitter who also provides defensive versatility with his ability to play all of the infield and outfield positions.

: Acquired on April 6 from the Brewers, Arcia slashed .214/.282/.343 in 32 games with the Braves. In 13 career playoff games with Milwaukee, the shortstop had four homers and six RBIs.

OUTFIELDERS

: Rosario was named NLCS MVP. He has hit .474 with a 1.313 OPS through the first two rounds of this postseason. Two years removed from a 32-homer campaign with the Twins, Rosario spent much of this season struggling through injuries with Cleveland. After being dealt to Atlanta at the Trade Deadline, though, he emerged from the IL in late August and established himself as the Braves’ left fielder with a strong final few weeks, slashing .273/.337/.580 down the stretch.

: Duvall combined to hit 38 homers with an NL-best 113 RBIs while playing for the Marlins and Braves this year. The Deadline deal that brought him back to Atlanta stands as one of the key factors in the Braves’ ability to win a fourth straight NL East title.

: The veteran outfielder hit two homers in the NLDS, including a three-run pinch-hit blast in Game 3. His postseason success has led many Braves fans to wear a pearl necklace like his, and to celebrate what has become known as “Joctober.”

: Heredia can provide value as a late-inning defensive replacement, or as the guy who swings his plastic swords whenever he celebrates in the dugout. The backup outfielder’s tremendous energy has fueled the Braves throughout this year.

: Soler missed a significant portion of the NLCS while on the COVID-19 related IL. The veteran outfielder has always had tremendous power, but his value increased when both his strikeout and walk rates improved after he was acquired from the Royals at the Deadline.

: Gore will be given another chance to help the Braves as a pinch-runner. The speedy outfielder was placed on the NLDS roster, but wasn’t included on the NLCS roster.

STARTING PITCHERS

: Morton has been one of the game’s top postseason pitchers over the past five seasons, including when he won the 2017 World Series with the Astros. The 37-year-old hurler started Games 1 and 4 of this year’s NLDS, allowing four runs with 14 strikeouts over 9 1/3 innings. He then limited the Dodgers to two runs on three hits over five innings in Game 3 of the NLCS.

: Fried, who produced an MLB-best 1.74 ERA after the All-Star break, threw six shutout frames in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Brewers. The lefty limited the Dodgers to two runs in Game 1 of the NLCS, but he surrendered five runs in just 4 2/3 innings in Game 5.

: Anderson has a 1.47 ERA through his first seven career postseason starts. The rookie right-hander has been handled carefully this year. He totaled seven innings over two starts in the NLCS, and the Braves won both of those games.

RELIEF PITCHERS

: Smith converted 37 of 43 save opportunities during his first season as the Braves’ closer, and he has allowed just three hits over seven scoreless innings in the postseason.

: Jackson is one of the funnier personalities in the Braves’ clubhouse. He bounced back from a rough 2020 to establish himself as one of Atlanta’s top late-inning options this year. The veteran setup man has allowed five runs on 10 hits over just five innings this postseason.

: Matzek’s story has continued to get better as he has allowed just two runs over 10 1/3 innings so far this postseason. Matzek overcame some midseason struggles and proved to be one of the game’s best relievers in the second half. The lefty returned to the Majors last year for the first time since developing the “yips” while pitching for the Rockies in 2015.

: Minter has allowed just two hits over 7 1/3 scoreless innings during the postseason. The lefty grabbed the attention of the baseball world when he was used as an opener in Game 5 of last year’s NLCS and recorded seven strikeouts over three innings against the Dodgers. That remains the only start of his professional career.

: A midseason addition to Atlanta’s bullpen, Chavez emerged as a very valuable and versatile asset. The 37-year-old right-hander was successful when used as an opener down the stretch and in Game 4 of the NLCS.

: Wright made just two appearances at the Major League level this year, but he finished the season strong for Triple-A Gwinnett and will now have a chance to provide some length out of the bullpen.

: The veteran lefty lost his rotation spot after his velocity continued to drop throughout August. There’s a chance he could enter the World Series as a reliever, like he did after Chavez threw a perfect inning while serving as an opener in Game 4 of the NLCS.

: Martin might not be one of the game’s top relievers anymore, but some success during the regular season’s final week might provide him some opportunities in the postseason. He was left off the NLDS roster and then added back to the roster for the NLCS.