After winning the most recent Fall Classic, the Atlanta Braves ended a 26-year drought without becoming MLB champions, a streak that began with one of the best teams in its history in the 1990s. With a new campaign to come, there are several teams that carry enormous pressure to arrive and conquer the next title of the World Series in 2022.
Astros
After having won the World Series in 2017, the season in which the use of technology was confirmed to steal signs, Houston Astros They have reached two more series and both have lost them before their public: one before and one after the scandal was known.
Although they have remained the most dominant team winning the pennant in the American League West Division in four of the last five seasons, the ‘Curse of the trash can‘begins to sound among the fans of the baseball in general and only the title of the Big leagues It would make people start to forget a bit what happened in that 2017.
Mets
One of those teams that has traditionally been seen to be weaker than its neighbors in New York changed their face in 2021 with the arrival of Steve Cohen as the new owner of the New York Mets. Despite that, it was another disappointing season as they even broke a record as the team that held the most days in the first place in their division (103) and ended with a losing record.
The arrival of superstars like the Puerto Rican Francisco Lindor and Javier Baez They raised the illusions of the team a lot, but neither of them had an outstanding season. In addition, the injury of Jacob deGrom After a spectacular start, expectations were gradually falling.
The results made the club not exercise the option to Luis Rojas to return as manager in 2022.
The club will not pick up the option on Manager Luis Rojas for the 2022 season. Decisions regarding the remaining coaching staff will be made over the next several days. We have offered Rojas the opportunity to remain in the organization in a TBD capacity. https://t.co/Zq6sJmxiDR
— New York Mets (@Mets) October 4, 2021
Cardinals
For the second year in a row, the St. Louis Cardinals was left out of the postseason just in the first round even after the arrival of the all-star third baseman. Nolan Arenado. Despite having a good painting that includes Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, Tommy Edman, as well as an established relay with names like Alex Reyes, Genesis Cabrera and Giovanny gallegos, the Cardinals’ great slope is still starting pitching.
During the season, only two pitchers made it past 20 starts: the veteran Adam Wainwright (32) as well as Korean Kwang Hyun Kim (21).
In the last year of Wainwright and the Puerto Rican legend Yadier Molina, the Cardinals will try to send two team icons the farewell they deserve.
Parents
Despite the great reconstruction process that the organization has carried out in recent years with the firms of Manny machado and the rise of the stellar Fernando Tatis Jr., the San Diego Padres They fell short again in the fight and, even this year, they didn’t even make the playoffs after the starting corps was weakened by injuries for much of the year.
The need for immediate results is evident after, with just two seasons of experience, the first of which was cut to 60 games due to the pandemic, the office decided to dispense with the manager’s services. Jayce Tingler to hire Bob Melvin, who arrives in San Diego from Oakland.
Dodgers
Los angeles dodgers, the team that waited 32 years to become major league champion again, did not have the defense they expected. San Francisco Giants, one of their fiercest rivals, surprised them in the race for the division pennant with a more modest team and, although injuries and off-field problems were eroding the starting rotation, the arrival of Max Scherzer, the continuity of Walker Buehler and the revelation season of the Mexican Julio Urías they helped the bullpen that several times stuck his face for the team.
Even after taking revenge on the Giants by eliminating them in the Serie Divisional, the same shortage of pitchers ended up taking a toll on the Championship Series.
Although it is true that titles count the same, a sector of the fans believes that titles Dodgers They have to show that they are capable of winning a championship in a 162-game season and not in the shortened season, as was the case in 2020.
Yankees
The great leaders on this list, without a doubt, are the New York Yankees.
The Bronx bombers They had a season full of ups and downs, a fact that was perfectly demonstrated after they had a 13-game win streak; immediately after seeing that run cut, they lost 11 of the next 13 games. Despite this, they managed to reach positions of playoffs and they faced their staunch rival, Boston Red Sox, in a game in which they fell to reach 12 seasons without reaching the World Series, the second longest streak in which the team with the most championships in the majors has not returned to the main stage of baseball.
While this was not the ending we hoped for, we want to thank the best fan base in baseball for their unwavering support throughout a challenging 2021 season. We welcomed you back to the ballpark, felt every cheer, and can’t wait to hear you rocking in the BX next year. pic.twitter.com/kHIZ7VthKx
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 6, 2021
Even though the manager Aaron Boone has been in charge of directing the ship in four of those 12 campaigns, the office of the Yankees He has trusted him again and, as soon as the season ended, they renewed the pilot’s contract for three more years hoping that he would be the one to return them to the Fall Classic.
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