College roommates ➡️ MLB draftees ➡️ WS foes Aaron Nola and Alex Bregman will reunite in the Fall Classic. For as different as the two players were and are, there’s still one similarity: They celebrate the joy of winning, writes SamBlum3. Their story:
will square off in the World Series beginning Friday. More than that, Nola will be Philadelphia’s Game 1 starting pitcher. Alex Bregman will almost certainly be batting fourth as the Astros’ third baseman. They’ll face off in a meeting with the highest stakes imaginable on a baseball diamond.
Bregman had played for the national teams; he’d showcased himself. He was considered a prospect. Nola, less so. He was from the area and LSU was a natural fit because the coaches had seen him pitch so often.But their differences ended up meshing. Nola was still able to get Bregman to go out fishing in their backyard pond, a skill he picked up quickly. They practiced shooting cans with pellet guns out there, too. Nola’s hobbies became Bregman’s.
One commonality the players did have — a factor and central tenant of their friendship — was outworking everyone to perfect their baseball craft. It’s not that there are any issues between them. It’s that the foundation of their relationship was greatness at LSU. That’s what each achieved. They elevated each other in that way during that period of time.
Nola was on the verge of getting through the inning when Bregman booted a ball at shortstop. It ran up his arm and went into left-center field, allowing an unearned run to score. LSU lost 2-1 and was eliminated after its next game.