NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: BRAVES VS DODGERS

October 23, 2021

Tyler Matzek

AJ Minter

Truist Park

Atlanta Braves

Postgame 6 Press Conference

Atlanta Braves - 4, Los Angeles Dodgers - 2

Q. Tyler, we can all say how great this was, how dominant it was, what did it feel like for you to get not only those big outs tonight but every big out through out this postseason?

TYLER MATZEK: Honestly, the fuel that drives me to do that is just the love I got for my teammates. I know how hard they work. All off-season, all season, I see them grinding, I see them battling through injuries, rehabbing to get back, and knowing that those guys are doing all that just to win baseball games is kind of the fuel to my fire.

So when I go out there and I have a chance to help the team go to the next level, I'm going to let it all hang out and do what I need to do.

Q. AJ, out on the field Alex was talking about the tough decision that Snit faced in pinch hitting for Ian when he did and then what a great move it was because it kept that inning going and put Rosario in the position. Of course the flip side of that is that means you're coming in pretty early, got to do the job, what was your mind set when you saw what was taking place and coming out the way that you did?

AJ MINTER: Yeah, I just come in and covered as many outs as I possibly could. This team has gone through so much, including this guy right here beside me. If you know his story, it's pretty special, just to never give up on your dream and we've been through a lot of failures the past few years, including myself, and this makes it all worth it.

That's what makes this team so dangerous is we have all have a story, we've all been through failure, and it's finally good to see it finally pay off and hopefully we keep it going.

Q. AJ, can you just describe what you saw Tyler do tonight and then maybe throughout the postseason?

AJ MINTER: Eddie had an unbelievable series, but in my opinion, Matzek was the MVP, and what he's done, he pitched every game besides one game in the postseason so far, and what he did was truly special. He put the team on his back when we needed it the most and that's what it's all about when it's the postseason.

This isn't a selfish group. We all pull for each other and we're so happy that we are a team and that's, I feel like what separates us from other teams it's the brotherhood. We love each other and that's what's going to get us forward going through the World Series.

Q. Tyler, when you come in in that situation where there's not much room for error at all, I mean, are you going for strikeouts there or what are you going for?

TYLER MATZEK: Yeah, I'm going for at least a strikeout in the first guy. Luke went in there. He struggled a little bit, an unfortunate hit that went down the left field line. He's gotten me out of those situations plenty of times this season so it was time for me to repay him.

Yeah, I'm looking to get the first out. If we can get a first out and then it clean, it opens up a little bit of space for me if I give up a pop fly, then we got two outs, and maybe if the guy scores, we're still in the lead, we're okay.

But, yeah, the first guy I'm looking to strike out and then it was just all right, got the first guy, now let's go after the second guy, now let's go after the third guy. So it was just being aggressive and I'm doing it for Luke trying to keep those runs from scoring for him.

Q. AJ, it looked like you were as fired up as I've ever seen you after several of those strikeouts.

AJ MINTER: I think after every hitter I think I did a fist pump.

Q. How big was that for you, you spent part of the season in Triple A and you're back now doing what you're doing for this team?

AJ MINTER: I mean, I felt like I've let this team down so many different times in the past few years and I let the fans down and I felt like I just went out there and I just wanted to give it all for them. Like I said, we all have our story and I've been through failure and I felt like I wouldn't be in this spot tonight if I hadn't gone through that failure, it just made me prepare for this moment and that's what life is all about. Nothing's supposed to be easy, it's not supposed to be given to you and you have to earn it.

Q. Tyler, I think you were near Houston when the Braves found you, right?

TYLER MATZEK: I was about four hours north up in the Dallas area.

Q. But you're both going back to Texas. What does that mean to you to go to play the Astros in the World Series?

AJ MINTER: Obviously I'm going back home. Grew up in Texas, born and raised, went to Texas A & M right down the road from Houston. It's going to be special, just to go back there and play in front of fans, or friends and family, it's going to be truly special and like I said, we plan on going there and winning the whole thing. Can't wait to get it started.

TYLER MATZEK: I can't wait. Texas keeps bringing me back to baseball and I'm fortunate for my time when I was with the AirHogs in the Arlington area and I think this is a little bit different baseball, but baseball's baseball, man, and I just can't wait to go out there and play.

Q. Aggies won tonight by the way, AJ, so you got that. But you guys are talking about just you going to Gwinnett, coming back. Tyler with yours, and Luke, I mean, a couple years ago having his struggles as well. Do you feel like that kind of bonds you guys out there that it's, you've been through those, you know how to pick people up?

AJ MINTER: That's what makes us into the people we are today, the baseball players we are. Like I said, everyone, if you haven't gone through failure, then you haven't experienced life. Going through failure, it builds you. I mean, it's going to make you better. If you have the taste of failing and the taste of winning, that's what keeps you driving and I choose winning every time, so that's our fuel.

Q. For both you guys, just two of the mainstays here, Snit, you guys know how long he's been at this, and Freddie and what he's meant to the Braves. For both of those guys, I mean how happy are y'all to see both of them in this?

TYLER MATZEK: I'm extremely happy for both of them. I love Snit, Snit's a great manager and Freddie's a great teammate. Yeah, I'm just so happy that the whole team's going to be able to go there and show the nation what the Atlanta Braves baseball is all about. We're going to go out there, we're going to play aggressive and we're going to try and win this thing.

AJ MINTER: Snit's the definition of an Atlanta brave. It's everything he knows, it's everything he's worked for his whole life, it's been, what, 40 something years he's been in the organization, you couldn't ask for this to happen to a better person, better manager. He's the heartbeat, he keeps us going.

Freddie, I mean, he is an Atlanta Brave and I know there's been a lot of talk and hopefully he can stay here in Atlanta. And he's been through the ups and downs and he knows what it takes to get it moving forward and hopefully we can bring it home.