William Woods' debut with Braves was 'dream come true' for him, grandfather

ARLINGTON, Texas – Outside the Braves’ clubhouse at Truist Park, a crowd gathered to greet a young reliever who had just made his MLB debut that night. When he exited the clubhouse doors to greet them, his family cheered because they were happy to see him and proud of what he had accomplished.But the most telling moment from William Woods’ debut for the Braves might have been this: After the game, he gave the ball from the inning he pitched to his grandfather, a gesture that symbolized his gratitude.“He’s been my father figure,” Woods said on Friday. “I just know he sacrificed a lot for me growing up, so it was kind of like a dream come true for the both of us.“I felt like he deserved it.”ExploreThe AJC’s complete coverage on the BravesWoods’ grandparents raised him from a young age. “Just a bunch of family issues,” he said. “They just stepped in. I’m very thankful that they did.”In Wednesday’s game versus the Cubs, Woods, a 23-year-old righty, pitched a scoreless inning. He earned his first big-league strikeout during the frame. He had worked hard for the moment since the Braves drafted him in the 23rd round in 2018 out…
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