Keuchel Begins Quest For Second World Series Title
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – It’s been more than 10 years since left-hander Dallas Keuchel threw his last pitch as an Arkansas Razorback and leading the Hogs to the College World Series. After winning the 2017 World Series with the Houston Astros, two All-Star nods, four Gold Gloves and a Cy Young Award, Keuchel has grown into one of the most successful former Razorbacks in Major League Baseball history and is truly one of the top pitchers in today’s game.
Keuchel, who spent seven years with the Astros, the team that drafted him in 2009, was one of the major holdouts still in contract negotiations when spring training began back in February. However, he left the only team he ever knew when he signed with the Atlanta Braves in June and has been a major reason why the Braves are one of the favorites after winning the National League (NL) Eastern Division.
He’s the most experienced postseason pitcher on the Braves’ roster with 10 appearances in October over the years, which could be why he was pegged to start Game 1 against the central division champion-St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Divisional Series Thursday afternoon.
Keuchel has a 3.31 ERA with a 48:16 strikeout-to-walk ratio over those 10 games, which includes nine starts.
“I’ve pitched in the wild card (game), I’ve pitched Game 1, I’ve pitched Game 3,” Keuchel told the Atlanta-Journal Constitution after his final regular-season start last week. “It doesn’t really matter as long as you’re pitching. That’s the main key, getting out there and pitching in a meaningful game. This is what you play for starting on Thursday. We’re going to be ready to go.”
Even without pitching in the regular-season until June, Keuchel still made 19 starts, earning a 3.75 ERA, striking out 91, while walking 39 across 112.2 innings.
First pitch between the Braves and Cardinals is set for 4 p.m. CT from SunTrust Park this afternoon and can be seen on TBS. The winner of the best-of-five series will go on to face either the Washington Nationals or Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series.
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