After 12 MLB seasons, utility player Ehire Adrianza, whose big pinch-hit double set up one of the greatest homers in Atlanta Braves history, has announced his retirement.
Adrianza played for five teams during his MLB career, spending three of those seasons in Atlanta. The switch-hitting utility player only accumulated 0.8 WAR during his big league career, but earned two World Series rings and achieved 10 years of service time, which only 10% of MLB players ever reach.
Ehire Adrianza’s big moment with the Braves is overshadowed.
Adrianza’s three seasons with the Braves largely went under the radar. After all, the utility player only played a combined 11 games in 2022 and 2023 with Atlanta.
However, his 2021 season was solid, as he played every position besides first base, catcher, and pitcher, and slashed .247/.327/.401 (92 OPS+) in 209 plate appearances. On a team where the outfield needed to be essentially rebuilt from scratch, Adrianza’s versatility provided the Braves with enough stability to keep their head above water during the early summer months.
His most clutch moment with the team, however, was in the NLCS, and often gets overshadowed thanks to the even bigger moment that immediately followed.
In the bottom of the 4th inning of Game 6, Brian Snitker opted to go for the kill. Despite Ian Anderson only throwing 66 pitches and allowing just four base runners, the Braves had an opportunity to break the 1-1 tie.
After a Travis d’Arnaud walk, the pitcher’s spot was due up. Ehire Adrianza was called to pinch hit to keep the inning alive in hopes that the hottest hitter alive could have a chance to hit with runners on.
On a 1-0 count, the lefty-hitting Adrianza pulled a 92.3 MPH cutter right down the line, managing to keep it fair by inches. Adrianza managed to turn it into a double, though d’Arnaud ended up getting stopped at third.
Still, what would end up being the only postseason hit of his MLB career immediately paid dividends. Seven pitches later, Eddie Rosario would smoke a liner into the Chop House to give the Braves a 4-1 lead.
These would be the final runs the Braves would score in the series, but it would be all that they needed. Tyler Matzek’s heroics kept the Braves lead at two and Will Smith shut down the Dodgers in 14 pitches to send Altanta to their first World Series in 22 years.
BANG! EDDIE ROSARIO FOR THREE! pic.twitter.com/SJUnWTSWDO
— MLB (@MLB) October 24, 2021
While Matzek, Rosario, and Smith have all received praise for the NLCS performances, Adrianza’s double to keep the 4th inning alive might be the biggest reason Atlanta was able to eventually win the World Series. Considering the Braves offense was shut down the rest of the game, Brian Snitker’s gutsy call to go to the bench proved to be an excellent decision.
After Atlanta beat Houston a week and a half later, Adrianza earned his second career World Series ring, with his first coming in 2014 with the Giants, though he missed the game-clincher because of the birth of his child.
This will certainly not be the last time we hear of Ehire Adrianza in the baseball community, he’s has been eyeing a role in a front office for years, but we congratulate him on his excellent playing career. Two rings and over 10 years of service time is an achievement many who reach the majors could only dream of.
