Page 217 - 2021 ATL Media Guide

DANSBY SWANSON
• Homered in Games 1 and 2 of the • When facing relief pitchers, has hit
series, becoming the only shortstop in .291/.356/.464 (219-for-752)…Batted .402 FRONT OFFICE
Braves history to homer in consecutive off opposing relievers in 2020, the best in
postseason games. the majors.
• Hit a solo home run in Game 7 of the NLCS, off • Has 17 games of postseason experience, all over
the Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin, to give Atlanta a 2-0 the last two seasons…Was the Braves’ starting
lead…Became just the fourth shortstop in history shortstop in each of their playoff games in that
to hit a homer in a Game 7 of a postseason time…Has hit .302/.357/.556 (19-for-63) with nine
series…It had not been done since Oakland’s Bert extra-base hits (5 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR) and 11 RBI. MANAGER & STAFF
Campaneris in the 1973 World Series…NYY’s Phil • In the 2019 NLDS vs. St. Louis, hit a game-
Linz (1964 WS) and WSH’s Roger Peckinpaugh tying double with two outs in the ninth
(1925 WS) were the others. inning of Game 3…Atlanta was trailing 1-0
• Went 3-for-4 with a stolen base in Game 6 of the and the series was tied…The Braves would
NLCS against Los Angeles. go on to win, 3-1…Finished the game
• Only two other Braves shortstops have 3-for-4 with two doubles…Was the fourth
produced three hits and a steal in a Braves player to collect a game-tying or
postseason game (Furcal, Game 2 of the go-ahead hit in the postseason with the DANSBY SWANSON
2004 NLDS and Walt Weiss, Game 3 of Braves down to their final out…The only
the 1998 NLDS and Game 1 of the 1999 others to do so were Luis Polonia (Game
NLCS). 3 of the 1995 NLDS vs. COL), Otis Nixon
(Game 6 of the 1992 World Series vs. TOR)
major league notes and Francisco Cabrera (Game 7 of the
• Has played 505 games in his five-year major- 1992 NLCS vs. PIT).
league career, hitting .249/.321/.396 (452-for- • Has four career game-ending hits, one in each of SEASON IN REVIEW
1,815) with 96 doubles, 10 triples, 50 home runs, the last four seasons.
227 RBI and 256 runs scored. • Hit a walk-off single in the ninth inning on
• Spent his entire big-league career with 4/7/19 vs. Miami…The game was tied, 3-3.
Atlanta…Got traded to the Braves from • Capped a six-run ninth inning on 5/20/18
Arizona in a five-player deal in December vs. the Marlins with a two-run walk-off
2015…Was selected first overall in the single…The rally was Atlanta’s biggest
draft earlier that year. ninth-inning comeback since a seven-run
• Over the last three seasons, has committed just rally on 5/20/10 vs. Cincinnati, exactly PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
24 errors, in 2,769.2 innings at shortstop…Among eight years prior.
players with at least 2,750.0 innings at that • His first career walk-off was a run-scoring
position in that time, his 24 errors are the fewest. single on 4/17/17 vs. San Diego, breaking a
• Has 22 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) since 4-4 tie in the ninth inning.
2018 (FanGraphs), the fifth most among • In 2019, hit a career-best 17 home runs, matching
shortstops…Only Nick Ahmed (51), Paul the most by a Braves shortstop in the Atlanta-era
DeJong (38), Andrelton Simmons (33) and of franchise history (since 1966)…Jeff Blauser BRAVES HISTORY
Francisco Lindor (26) have more in that (1997) and Andrelton Simmons (2013) also hit 17...
time. Denis Menke is the only other shortstop in all-
• In the seventh inning or later, has hit time Braves history to hit more (20 in 1964).
.301/.361/.479 (188-for-624) in his career with 63 • Also had a career-best 65 RBI that season,
extra-base hits (37 2B, 4 3B, 22 HR) and 93 RBI… the sixth most by a shortstop in a single-
His .301 average is the seventh best in the majors season of Atlanta franchise history…Had
in that time (min. 500 ABs)…He has hit nearly 20 RBI in April and 57 prior to the All-Star
half, 22-of-50 (44%), of his home runs in these break, both franchise records. OPPONENTS
situations. • Also had a career-most 46 extra-base hits
• When the game is within one run in (26 2B, 3 3B, 17 HR)…Had 13 such hits in
the seventh inning or later, has hit .358 March and April, again a franchise record
(54-for-151), easily the best in the majors for shortstops prior to May.
among players that have taken at least • Also had a career-best 121 hits…Had two
100 at-bats in those situations over the separate hitting streaks of 10 or more
last five seasons. games…Would accomplish that again in MISCELLANEOUS
2020.
2021 ATLANTA BRAVES MEDIA GUIDE 217