Atlanta Braves' Eddie Rosario, right, is congratulated by Atlanta Braves' Joc Pederson after hitting a two-run home run in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of baseball's National League Championship Series Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
HOUSTON – Atlanta had just stumbled again, losing its seventh straight attempt to reach .500.
“This isn’t going to define our season, this series,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said that night at New York’s Citi Field.
Little did he know.
Two days later, general manager Alex Anthopoulos obtained outfielders Eddie Rosario, Adam Duvall and Jorge Soler along with reliever Richard Rodríguez in four swaps in the hours before the July 30 trade deadline, adding to the acquisition of outfielder Joc Pederson two weeks earlier.