Cooper Pratt’s 12th-inning blast on Tuesday looked, for a moment, like the kind of swing that becomes part of baseball folklore. The 22-year-old rookie sent Milwaukee ahead late, and for Brewers fans, it felt like the kind of October hit that can live forever. But Tampa Bay answered in the bottom half of the inning, turning celebration into disappointment and leaving the Rays with life.
That kind of whiplash immediately brings to mind one of the most famous swings in Atlanta Braves history: Adam Duvall’s grand slam in Game Five of the 2021 World Series. Braves fans know the moment by heart.
Duvall’s shot sent Truist Park into a frenzy in the first inning, and for a brief stretch, it looked like the defining swing of the series. Instead, Houston came back, forcing Atlanta to keep chasing the title in Game Six.
The comparison between Pratt and Duvall is obvious enough. Both were massive October homers that felt like turning points.
Both came with the crowd ready to erupt. And in both cases, the lead that followed didn’t last.
There’s one major difference, though, and it matters. Duvall’s grand slam came in the first inning, which meant Atlanta had nearly the whole game ahead of it after jumping out to a 4-0 lead.
Pratt’s homer came in the 12th, making it the latest ever home run in a potential World Series clinching game. Milwaukee was only one run up, but it was also just three outs from a first championship.
That’s why Brewers fans are left with the same uneasy hope Braves fans carried in 2021: maybe the swing that feels like the finish line is really just the setup for something bigger. In Atlanta’s case, Jorge Soler delivered the iconic answer in Game Six. Now the question hanging over Milwaukee is simple: who, if anyone, gets to play the role of Soler and hit the moonshot that makes Pratt’s homer part of a winning story?
In Other News...
Braves Suddenly Face A Tough Jurickson Profar Decision
Jurickson Profar is back on a field again, but his return comes with more uncertainty than clarity for the Braves. The outfielder recently played for Tiburones de La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League, his first game action since receiving a 162-game suspension for a second PED violation that cost him the 2026 season, and Atlanta is now sorting through what comes next as it tries to map out the roster and the clubhouse.
Alex Anthopoulos has said the organization plans to have internal discussions about Profars future, which puts the Braves in an awkward spot after a season lost to suspension. Ronald Acua Jr. has also said Profar distanced himself from the team after the ban, adding another layer to a situation that is still very much unresolved as Atlanta weighs how to handle one of its more complicated offseason questions. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Face Tough Price Decision On Two Key Free Agents
Jim Bowdens free-agent projections put the Braves in a familiar winter spot, trying to weigh fit against price on two players who matter in very different ways. Mauricio Dubon brings the kind of defensive versatility teams value when the market gets thin, and the Athletic piece suggests there may not be much competition at shortstop if clubs start circling. For Atlanta, that can turn a reasonable ask into a tougher one, especially if other teams decide they need a glove-first option who can move around the diamond.
Raisel Iglesias is the more straightforward name, but not necessarily the easier call. Bowden projected the veteran closer at one year and $17 million after another All-Star-level season, yet the Braves may pause before going that high with a reliever on the roster already and some age-related caution attached to the deal. It leaves Atlanta staring at two free agents who could help right away, while also forcing a decision on how much certainty they want to buy this offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Prospect Finally Showed Some Pop In A Tight Glendale Win
Pitching set the tone in Glendale, but a pair of Braves prospects gave the box score a little life. Tate Southisene and Isaiah Drake each found ways to contribute at the plate in a game where clean contact was hard to come by, and the evaluation leaned as much on quality of contact as it did on the final line score. For Atlanta, nights like this can be just as useful as the loud ones, especially when young hitters are asked to work through limited looks against sharp arms.
Drakes at-bat stood out because it hinted at the kind of growth the Braves have been waiting to see, while the staff behind him kept the game under control. Logan Samuels and Owen Hackman took care of the late innings to help Glendale stay in front, and the shutout held together in a contest that never really loosened up. The bigger question for Atlanta is whether these small offensive signs are the start of something more consistent, or just the kind of incremental progress that takes a while to turn into real production. [Read more 🡒]