Astros rookie Jeremy Peña filling huge holes very easily, rapidly becoming a superstar

PHILADELPHIA – Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña got here into the 2022 season as a rookie who had giant footwear to fill.

Carloa Correa had been the stud shortstop for an Astros crew that made three World Sequence in his tenure – in March, he signed with the Minnesota Twins.

Nonetheless, Peña crammed these footwear fairly properly and has exceeded nearly each expectation.

Peña belted 22 homers within the common season, and he additionally received a Gold Glove Award, however that was only a preview of what was to come back this postseason.

He then despatched the Astros to the American League Championship Sequence with an 18th-inning house run in Recreation 3 of the American League Division Sequence in opposition to the Seattle Mariners after which received the ALCS MVP in Houston’s four-game sweep of the New York Yankees.

He acquired three hits within the greatest sport of his life on Thursday. Along with his 3-for-4 efficiency in Recreation 5, he’s now hitting .381 this World Sequence. That comes after a .353 common and 1.176 OPS within the ALCS.

However for the 25-year-old, there are not any footwear that want filling – only a sport that wants taking part in.

“I by no means noticed it as I needed to fill the footwear. I simply needed to are available and be myself and play my sport,” Pena instructed Fox Information Digital in his postgame availability after Recreation 5.

“He is performed remarkably nicely. Boy, he is actually carried us for some time right here and getting us by means of this postseason,” Astros supervisor Dusty Baker added. “That is particularly robust for a younger participant taking part in shortstop, and I am simply glad we’ve got him.”

Jeremy Pena #3 of the Houston Astros celebrates with teammate Alex Bregman #2 after hitting a house run in opposition to the Philadelphia Phillies throughout the fourth inning in Recreation 5 of the 2022 World Sequence at Residents Financial institution Park on November 03, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
(Sarah Stier/Getty Photographs)

2022 WORLD SERIES: JEREMY PEÑA SHINES, JUSTIN VERLANDER EARNS FIRST WIN AS ASTROS TAKE 3-2 SERIES LEAD

Peña is harking back to one other rookie who was a borderline Corridor of Famer in his day and made an affect in his first World Sequence at age 19.

“I talked to him earlier within the yr about being prepared, particularly in a clutch state of affairs, and stay aggressive, and he works at it,” Baker mentioned. “He works at his sport. What he is carried out this yr is just like after I noticed a younger Andruw Jones as a younger participant with the Braves in opposition to the Yankees. From time to time, these guys come alongside not that always. It simply goes to indicate you that his future may be very, very shiny.”

It has been a wild trip for Peña this season, however the final purpose shouldn’t be achieved – though yet another win will do it.

Then, Peña says, he’ll look again at what he is achieved.

“On the finish of the season, as soon as we accomplish our purpose – which is to go all the way in which – then I’ll sit down and mirror on the journey. However we all know there’s nonetheless work to do and we gotta lock in.”

Jeremy Pena #3 of the Houston Astros hits a house run in opposition to the Philadelphia Phillies throughout the fourth inning in Recreation 5 of the 2022 World Sequence at Residents Financial institution Park on November 03, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 
(Al Bello/Getty Photographs)

Peña might grow to be the primary participant in MLB historical past to win the ALCS and World Sequence MVP in the identical season (eight gamers have carried out it within the Nationwide League).