2021 Bulls squad won Triple-A National Title & Final Stretch, posted best win percentage in franchise history
Durham Bulls 2021 Team
The accolades continue to roll in for the Durham Bulls, who on Tuesday were named the ‘Best Team’ of the 2021 season, as announced by MiLB.com.
“If I told them once, I probably told them 50 times, it was the best team I ever managed. And I’ve had a chance to manage some pretty special teams,” Bulls manager Brady Williams said to MiLB.com. “The goal that we had from every player was to get better every day. And what a treat to manage all the talented young players. It was a lot of fun.”
The 2021 Bulls squad posted an 86-44 record, earning their third Triple-A National Championship. Durham also won the Triple-A Final Stretch Tournament with a 9-1 record over their final ten games, in addition to posting a .662 win percentage, the best mark over the course of a full season in franchise history. The team’s 263 run differential also tied for the highest among all minor league teams with their fellow Tampa Bay Rays affiliate, the Low-A Charleston RiverDogs.
Durham pitchers finished the 2021 campaign pacing all minor league clubs in walks and hits per nine innings (1.10), in addition to ranking tied for the lowest batting average against (.212) and second in earned-run average (3.40). The pitching staff’s 1,326 strikeouts were also the most among all Triple-A squads. The Bulls excelled offensively as well, pacing the Triple-A East League in doubles (262), while ranking second in that company in runs scored (732), slugging percentage (.456), in addition to third in home runs (183), total bases (1,949), stolen bases (142), and on-base plus slugging percentage (.798).
The talented roster was highlighted by several of the best prospects in baseball, including the consensus number one top prospect in the game, infielder Wander Franco, in addition to infielder/outfielder Vidal Brujan, right-handed pitcher Shane Baz, and outfielder Josh Lowe. All made their Major League debuts with the Tampa Bay Rays over the course of the 2021 campaign.
The Bulls begin their Triple-A National title defense on the road in Nashville on Tuesday, April 5, 2022 before returning to the DBAP for a five-game series versus the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp starting on Tuesday, April 12. Game times and promotions for the 2022 season will be announced on a later date. For more information on full-season and mini plan packages, please call 919.956.BULL.
Thanks to DBBC’s Andrew Green for this Capcom story & photo.
