Wednesday night gave us one of the wildest baseball games in recent memory, with the Astros coming out on top in an 11-inning romp that saw a World Series record eight home runs. However, at least one player isn't impressed with the crazy home run numbers. Astros pitcher and tin foil stocks philanthropist Dallas Keuchel says he thinks there's a reason that we saw so many home runs in the crazy Game 2 that tied the series.
"Obviously, the balls are juiced," Keuchel told USA Today. "I think they're juiced 100 percent. But it is what it is. I'm just glad we came out on top."
Keuchel pitched Game 1 of the series, ultimately getting handed a loss after a brilliant performance from Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. However, he noted the quality of the batters that are hitting homers with regularity now. "There are really powerful guys in this league," he said, "and they're going to get theirs. But where you can tell a difference is the mid-range guy who's hitting 20-plus home runs now. That doesn't happen. That's not supposed to happen."
Major-league baseball saw 6,105 home runs this year, a record for most in a season. Keuchel actually did well for himself in the category, giving up 15 on the season, decidedly middle of the pack among pitchers. The Astros have lived and died by the long ball all postseason, a trend that has continued in the series.
"That's what Major League Baseball wants," Keuchel said. "They want that exciting two home run lead, and then they [the Dodgers] come back and hit another home run, and everybody's still watching. That's what they want. That's what they're getting."
Yasiel Puig struck out to commit the last out of the game after the Dodgers brought the game to within one in the 11th inning courtesy of a Charlie Culberson homer. Barry Bonds, Nelson Cruz and Carlos Beltran are all tied for the most home runs in a single postseason at eight. Jose Altuve currently has six.
Welcome to the new age of baseball conspiracies. The late '90s are back, the future is now, and the future is corked up baseballs.