:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70037941/usa_today_17015667.0.jpg)
The World Series is set. Atlanta will travel to Houston for the Series opener Tuesday night.
What happened last night?
NLCS Game 6
Atlanta Braves 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 2.
Atlanta advances to the World Series (4-2)
Atlanta claimed their first National League pennant since 1999, topping the reigning champion Dodgers 4-2 in Game 6 of the NLCS.
Walker Buehler entered play as one of the more clutch pitchers in baseball since debuting, but was flat on short rest. He threw four innings, allowing four runs and just a 2:1 K:BB ratio.
The starting depth of the Dodgers rotation had been an issue all series, with multiple openers and starters going on short rest. We don’t know how much of Buehler’s performance was due to short rest and how much was an effective Atlanta offense, but Dodgers fans will have all winter to argue about the management decisions made in the NLCS.
Eddie Rosario’s coming out party continued, as he went 2-for-4 with the biggest hit of the night, a three-run home run in the fourth inning. To nobody’s surprise, Rosario took home NLCS MVP, as he hit .560 with three homers and a 1.647 OPS in the six games.
What’s on deck?
World Series Game One
Atlanta Braves @ Houston Astros
Pitching TBD
When: 8:08pm Eastern, Tuesday 10/26
TV: FOX
These teams are maybe more alike than their records might indicate. Both boast deep and powerful lineups, although without Ronald Acuña Jr. and potentially no Jorge Soler to start the series, Houston likely has a slight edge offensively.
Pitching-wise, both clubs have surprised both with their depth and the potential ceilings of their starters. Having two full days off before the Series begins allows each team to rest their bullpen fully, and potentially set up a more optimal rotation.
As for the Dodgers, they enter a winter of questions - why wasn’t the pitching as deep as it should have been, why did Dave Roberts make the decisions he made, and what’s the future of stars like Corey Seager, Max Scherzer and Chris Taylor, all free agents this off-season.