To Save a Swirling Season, Atlanta Turned to Soft Serve

Atlanta has been praised for its shrewd deadline trades. Braves players credit their resurgence to a midseason pickup that produces day after day.

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves are making their first World Series appearance since 1999 because of star players at several positions, an underrated pitching staff and shrewd midsummer moves by the front office.

Inside the clubhouse, though, players also point to a secret weapon. It doesn’t field, throw or hit, but it has delivered over and over again. Atlanta’s game-changer in 2021? A soft-serve ice cream machine.

“When they brought that into the clubhouse, it was like magic,” infielder Johan Camargo said. Added the star reliever Tyler Matzek, “It’s just something that we kind of rallied around.”