Jeremy Pena is making his mark in the World Series. The Houston Astros' rookie has not displayed any sign of fear on baseball's biggest stage. His impressive play earned him a legendary comparison from Dusty Baker, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
“What he's done this year was similar to when I saw a young Andruw Jones as a young player with the Braves against the Yankees [in the 1996 World Series],’” Baker said. “Every once in a while, these guys come along, not that often.”
Jeremy Pena, who recently was named the AL Golden Glove winner, is slashing .333/.357/.648 through 12 postseason games up to this point. He's smashed 4 home runs and tallied 8 RBIs as well. Additionally, Pena has continued to play quality defense at shortstop for the Astros.
Many people worried about the impact of Carlos Correa leaving Houston last offseason, but Pena has undeniably lessened the blow of Correa's departure.
Jeremy Pena commented on Dusty Baker's impact.
“Dusty Baker is a legend in this game,’” Peña said. “He's been great to me since the first day we met. He brings the best out of his players. He gives you all the confidence in the world and you can't expect more from a manager.”
Baker has proven to be a respected managerial presence with Houston. Some teams win in spite of their manager, but Baker has played a pivotal role in the Astros' success without question. And his confidence in Jeremy Pena has been a major reason for the rookie's success as of late.
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