Philadelphia Phillies players look on from the dugout during the 11th inning against the Dodgers on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. Their moods did not improve. (Harry How / Getty Images)
Philadelphia sports fans have a bit of a reputation for not always being the most upstanding of citizens.
Then over in the NFL, the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles were dominated by NFC West rival New York Giants 34-17 on "Thursday Night Football." And in the NHL, the Flyers lost their season opener 2-1 to the Florida Panthers.
For any other city's fan base, that might be considered the worst day ever. But believe it or not, Philly fans had to endure a similarly disheartening day nearly 42 years ago, according to sports statistician Greg Harvey.
Cities in history to have their NHL team lose, NFL team lose & MLB team lose in the playoffs & be eliminated all on the same day:
Harvey pointed out on X that Oct. 16, 1983, was the only other time in history that one city's MLB team team suffered a season-ending loss in the postseason while its NFL and NHL teams lost as well. And that unlucky city was Philadelphia.
That was the day that the Phillies, nicknamed the "Wheeze Kids" that season for all the veteran players on the roster, fell 5-0 to the Baltimore Orioles to lose the World Series four games to one.
Meanwhile, the Eagles were off to a 4-2 start to their season before losing that day to the Dallas Cowboys 37-7. It was the start of a seven-game losing streak for the Eagles, who wound up finishing the season 5-11.
The Flyers suffered their first loss of that season — 5-4 to the New York Rangers — after starting the year with five straight wins. Months later, they ended up finishing third in the Patrick Division before being swept out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Washington Capitals.
So maybe, just maybe, you might want to take it easy on the Philadelphia sports fans in your life — at least until the next time one or more them does something that makes the rest of us cringe.
And hopefully those fans extend the same courtesy to Kerkering. Maybe he'll end up being the one person who can tell Santa Claus and the others that Philly fans aren't all that bad after all.
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers are on track to be the first repeat World Series champions in a quarter century, helped along by superb starting pitching, a flame-throwing rookie in the bullpen and strong defense.
They were swigging and spraying from bottles with — oops — NLCS on the labels while partying in the team’s batting cage after a wild 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in 11 innings.
“We’re going to find a way to win a ballgame even when things aren’t going our way,” utility player Kiké Hernández said.
NL West champion Los Angeles took the best-of-five NL Division Series 3-1 and will play either the NL Central-winning Milwaukee Brewers or runner-up Chicago Cubs in the best-of-seven NL Championship Series. Those teams play a decisive Game 5 in Milwaukee.
The Dodgers dropped four of seven to the Cubs during the regular season. The Brewers swept their six games with the Dodgers, outscoring them 31-16 while holding Los Angeles to two or fewer runs in four of those games.
No matter who’s up next, the Dodgers are rolling at the right time, winning five of their first six postseason games. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow lead a stellar rotation. Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is a candidate to start on the mound in Game 1 of the NLCS.
“The whole pitching staff, we don’t win this series if it wasn’t for them,” Hernández said.
The defense is helping, too.
The Dodgers made a couple of clutch defensive plays during a 4-3 win in Game 2 against the Phillies.
Freddie Freeman had a game-saving pick at first base and they successfully executed a defensive wheel play with the Phillies threatening.
With Nick Castellanos on second, third baseman Max Muncy rushed home plate to field a bunt by Bryson Stott, turned and perfectly threw to shortstop Mookie Betts, who was covering third. Betts got the out while being upended by a sliding Castellanos.
Rookie Roki Sasaki delivered three perfect innings of relief in the finale. The right-hander has allowed just one baserunner over 5 1/3 scoreless playoff innings after returning late last month from a long-term shoulder injury.
“It’s a massive weapon for us this whole postseason now,” Freeman said.
Ohtani and Freeman have not been so great at the plate. They’ll need to jump-start their offense in the next round.
Ohtani had a franchise-record 55 homers — second-best in the NL — in the regular season. He homered twice in the wild-card round against Cincinnati, but has gone silent since. He was 1 for 18 with nine strikeouts in the NLDS, going 0 for 5 in Game 3.
Freeman hit .295 during the season — third-best in the NL — and had 39 doubles and 24 homers. He was 1 for 5, extending his postseason on-base streak to 11 games with a single.
Bellinger, who had a $25 million player option for 2026, said after New York's season ended on Wednesday night that he would welcome a return to the Bronx if he opted out.
Bellinger, 30, slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI in 152 regular season games this year, helping the Yankees make it back to the postseason. While there, the former NL MVP performed well, despite his less-than-stellar numbers. In the seven playoff games this year, Bellinger slashed .214/.258/.393 with an OPS of .651. He hit one home run, two doubles and drove in four runs while playing very good defense.
In Game 4 of the ALDS against the Blue Jays, while Bellinger made a terrific sliding catch to prevent runs from scoring in the first inning, he went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts, including striking out swinging in the ninth inning to end the game.
While the season didn't end the way Bellinger and the Yankees wanted, the 30-year-old looked fondly on his time in the Bronx and with his teammates.
"I had an unbelievable time putting on this uniform. Yankee Stadium, the fans, the organization, the culture that these guys have created in this locker room," he said. "It really is special. It's such a fun group, a fun group to be a part of. We came up short and that part stinks for sure because we had a really really good group here."
Manager Aaron Boone was asked about Bellinger and Trent Grisham -- who is set to be a free agent this offseason -- and whether he hopes they return to the Yankees in 2026.
"The thing I'll say about them is they're a big reason why I was so excited about this club down the stretch and at this point. Just really proud of who those guys were and are and what they became as players, as driving forces for our team," Boone said. "But in those two cases, the two people those guys are in the room every single day and what they brought to the table as teammates every single day, I appreciate that. And I'm grateful to get to have managed those two guys. Who knows? Hopefully, in both cases, I get to keep doing it."
New York acquired Bellinger and $5 million in cash considerations last December through a trade with the Chicago Cubs for right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet.
He originally signed with the Cubs on a one-year contract entering 2023, including a mutual option for 2024, which saw him slash .307/.356/.525 while hitting 26 home runs and 97 RBI over 130 games. It was his best season since 2019. That year, his age-23 season, Bellinger's career-best campaign included a .305/.406/.629 slash line with 47 home runs and 115 RBI in 162 regular season games.
After the 2023 season, Bellinger declined his mutual option and became a free agent. He re-signed with the Cubs in February 2024 on a three-year, $80 million contract that included opt-out clauses after the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Bellinger slashed .266/.325/.426 with 18 home runs and 78 RBI over 130 regular-season games in 2024 for the Cubs.
"I get business," Bellinger said last December while discussing Chicago's decision to trade him after he opted into his clause for 2025. "Very good at separating the business and the baseball, and I'm the baseball player and there's business in this game, so I just want to prepare and play the best baseball that I can play."
Cody Bellinger says he'd welcome a return to the Yankees if he opts out of his contract:
"I had an unbelievable time putting on this uniform. Yankee Stadium, the fans, the organization, the culture that these guys have created in this locker room. It's special." pic.twitter.com/Ov93n3eGjF
CHICAGO — With one big swing, Ian Happ sent a charge through an electric crowd of 41,770 at Wrigley Field.
After a rough start to the playoffs, it was a pretty sweet moment for the longest-tenured player with the Chicago Cubs.
Happ connected for a three-run homer in the first inning, sending Chicago to a 6-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers that pushed their NL Division Series to a decisive Game 5.
“I’m just so happy for Ian,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “I think it was great for Ian to have the playoff moment that he deserved. It was a huge swing.”
Nico Hoerner singled and Kyle Tucker walked ahead of Happ’s two-out drive to right on a 1-1 fastball from Freddy Peralta. Chicago became the first team in major league history with a first-inning homer in four straight games during one postseason.
The switch-hitting Happ also connected against Peralta in Game 1, but he is 2 for 32 with 14 strikeouts against the right-hander in the regular season.
“I’ve had a ton of at-bats against him,” Happ said. “He’s had my number quite a bit. But I got him in Milwaukee on a fastball so I knew he was going to go changeup, changeup to start the at-bat and it was probably going to be a lot more soft stuff. I was able to get a fastball in that at-bat to hit.”
Happ was selected by Chicago with the No. 9 pick in the 2015 amateur draft out of the University of Cincinnati. He made his big league debut in 2017, batting .253 with 24 homers and 68 RBIs for a Cubs team that won the NL Central and made it to the NL Championship Series.
He played in his 1,000th game with the team on April 5, but struggled for much of the year. He hit .243 with 23 homers and 79 RBIs in 150 games.
“He’s been around for a while, and he’s kind of the leader of this group,” teammate Michael Busch said. “Just the way he goes about his business each and every day. No matter if it’s a spring training game, postseason game, he’s always going to give you a good at-bat, and he had quite a few of them tonight.”
Happ went 2 for 21 with 11 strikeouts in Chicago’s first six postseason games this year. After going deep in the first, he flied out to the warning track in the third and again in the seventh.
“It felt great,” Happ said of the first-inning homer. “The guys have been carrying me all postseason so to contribute in that moment and give us the lead was awesome for me. It was a really cool moment at Wrigley.”
The Seattle Mariners had an opportunity to close out their Division Series against the Detroit Tigers Wednesday in Motown...and lost. Their reward? They now must defeat Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal tonight in Seattle in order to earn the right to play for the American League pennant against the Toronto Blue Jays. George Kirby gets the ball for the Mariners.
With Skubal taking the mound, there is no doubt the Tigers are confident heading into Game 5. Skubal has given up three earned runs or more in just two of his last ten starts. He has lasted an average of 6.2 innings and struck out an average of 7.7 hitters in each of those ten starts.
Add to it the fact that Detroit rolled Seattle in Game 4 and that confidence meter ticks up yet another notch or two for the Tigers. Javier Baez and Gleyber Torres each went yard to lead the Tigers to a 9-3 win in Game 4. Detroit pounded out 13 hits in the game. The nine runs were the most they had scored since plating 11 at Yankee Stadium on September 10.
George Kirby has been special this season for Seattle, but Tarik Skubal is why Detroit is suddenly favored to move on to the American League Championship series following tonight's game.
Lets dive deeper into the matchup and numbers and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Tigers at Mariners
Date: Friday, October 10, 2025
Time: 8:08PM EST
Site: T-Mobile Park
City: Seattle, WA
Network/Streaming: FOX
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Tigers at the Mariners
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Detroit Tigers (-131), Seattle Mariners (+107)
Spread: Tigers -1.5 (+149)
Total: 6.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at Mariners - ALDS Game 5
Pitching matchup for October 10, 2025: Tarik Skubal vs. George Kirby
Tigers: Tarik Skubal (Reg. Season: 13-6, 2.21 ERA Last outing: Gm. 2 at Seattle (10/5) - 7IP, 2ER, 5H, 1 BB, 9Ks Skubal has struck out at least 8 in each of his last 4 starts with each lasting at least 6 innings
Mariners: George Kirby (Reg. Season: 10-8, 4.21 ERA) Last outing: Gm. 1 vs. Detroit (10/4) - 5IP, 2ER, 6H, 1BB, 8Ks Kirby has struck out at least 7 in each of his last 4 starts and has done so without pitching more than 6.1 innings in any of the four starts
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Tigers at Mariners - ALDS Game 5
Javier Baez is 1-13 (.077) in his career against George Kirby
Kerry Carpenter is 5-11 (.455) with 5 HRs in his career against Kirby
Gleyber Torres is 5-12 (.417) in his career against Kirby
J.P. Crawford is hitting .625 (5-8) in his career against Tarik Skubal
Jorge Polanco has homered 3 times in 29 career ABs against Skubal
Julio Roriguez is 2-11 (.182) against Skubal in his career
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s ALDS Game 5 between the Tigers and the Mariners
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday’s game between the Tigers and the Mariners:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Seattle Mariners at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 6.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page fromNBC
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
The thud of another October disappointment will certainly linger in Yankeeland and obscure a fine renaissance by a talented team over the course of what was a trying, topsy-turvy season.
These Yankees were at first great, then perplexing – and somewhat alarming – before getting themselves together. A strong stretch run led to a Wild Card series victory over the Red Sox and then an ALDS loss to, ultimately, a better Toronto Blue Jays squad.
It wasn’t what the Yanks wanted or what their fans demanded – winning second only to breathing, yada, yada, yada. Still, the Yankees had some excellent individual performances and tied for the AL lead in wins by going 94-68 with MLB’s top offense.
But there were some down years, too. All will be reflected in our Yankees Report Card.
Here are the grades. Yes, this includes the playoffs:
Plan B worked after Juan Soto left for Queens, the organization delivered some high-end young pitching, and Cashman had a strong trade deadline, even if every move wasn’t a home run. There will be the usual carping about how Cashman should pay because fans shouldn’t have to wait so long between World Series titles – the last one, you may have heard, came way back in 2009. Oh, alas!
Who knows what happens to the rotation without Max Fried? Cody Bellinger was a monster addition and in July the GM addressed a sagging bullpen and an open wound at third base. There’s work to be done on this roster – how about some contact hitters? There's also thorny questions looming this winter, but Cashman had a solid year.
The Yankees had a 6.5-game division lead in early June and then stumbled, lurching into a fundamental quagmire. Through it all, Boone remained publicly positive. While that didn’t please fans thirsting for blame-game rants, it seemed to work on the roster – and the Yanks finished with the third-best record in MLB and the seventh postseason berth in Boone’s eight-year tenure.
Maybe, though, he and the organization could have been more proactive when Anthony Volpe was struggling so badly at shortstop. Sometimes, tough love is love, too.
Boone gets heat for game-level moves – what manager doesn’t? But, as only one example, he was huge in Game 3 of the ALDS, using his best hitters instead of overreacting to the reverse-splits of Toronto starter Shane Bieber. Then, when the Yanks fell way behind early, he set a bullpen path that stopped the Jays so his hitters could rally.
Video game numbers again over the full season – his slugging percentage was 66 points higher than the next-best, Shohei Ohtani, he led MLB in average by 20 points and on-base percentage by 58. And hit 53 home runs.
And now the Negative Nellies of the world can’t even ding him for his October performance after he batted .500 and hit that seismic homer off the left-field foul pole in Game 3.
The Yankees captain is a living, breathing cheat code who does everything well. Is there a higher league he can move up to?
GRADE: A+++
Aug 28, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) celebrates with designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) after they score on Bellinger’s two run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rate Field. / Matt Marton-Imagn Images
CODY BELLINGER
Defensive versatility, 29 homers and a strong all-around game added up to a nifty first Bronx season for Bellinger. He also led the Yanks with a .348 average with runners in scoring position, exhibiting a clutch gene. Needed more from him than a .651 OPS in the postseason, though. He’s reportedly opting out of his contract, so we’ll see if he returns, but he’s a strong fit at Yankee Stadium.
GRADE: B+
CARLOS RODÓN
Huge regular season in which he was the hardest pitcher in the AL to get a hit against – his 6.1 hits-per-nine was the lowest in the circuit. He finished with a 3.09 ERA and 203 strikeouts in 33 starts. He had one OK postseason start, delivering six innings against the Red Sox, but was hammered by the Jays for six runs and departed in the third inning of Game 3 of the ALDS. His 9.72 playoff ERA knocks his final grade.
GRADE: B+
MAX FRIED
Assumed the ace mantle after Gerrit Cole got hurt and delivered, big time, in the first year of his big-money contract ($218 million, most ever for a free agent lefty). His 19 wins led all of MLB and his 2.86 ERA was eighth. He was 11-1 after Yankee losses in the regular season, but was not a stopper in the Jays series – Toronto hammered him for seven runs in three innings in Game 2, which mars his final grade. He had started the postseason nicely, too, throwing 6.1 shutout frames against the Red Sox.
GRADE: A-
JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.
Was the third Yankee ever to have a 30-30 season and provides needed energy and swag to the Yanks, who sometimes skew bland. Even volunteered to play third base when needed, even though he’s best at second base where his athleticism can shine. Monster homer in Game 3 against Toronto gave the Yanks the lead for good in a comeback, though his game-changing error in Game 4 hurt chances for another rally.
GRADE B+
Aug 30, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham (12) celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring against the Chicago White Sox during the 11th inning at Rate Field. / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
TRENT GRISHAM
We all napped on The Big Sleep, didn’t we? Grisham broke out with a career-best 34 homers and an .811 OPS in taking over center field. He provided solid defense, at least via the eye test (defensive metrics are not in love with his play), and should be set up for a nice free agent payday. Struggled in the postseason, though, batting just .138.
GRADE: B
BEN RICE
Another breakout player, Rice smashed 26 home runs and was a Statcast darling, ranking among the sports’ boldface names in hard-hit metrics. Can catch, but could be the everyday first baseman in 2026, too, though he must improve defensively.
GRADE: B
CAM SCHLITTLER
One of the most exciting developments of the year, Schlittler’s emergence as a rotation weapon cannot be overstated, as hard as we might try. The 23-year-old had a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts and then exploded in the postseason with a dominant start against his hometown Red Sox – eight scoreless innings and 12 strikeouts, no walks. Then he delivered the only competent start in the entire series against the Blue Jays. Does anyone throw 100 miles-per-hour as smoothly as this guy?
GRADE: A
GIANCARLO STANTON
He only played 77 games, but was terrific when healthy, bashing 24 homers and notching a .944 OPS. Didn’t deliver the usual October Giancarlo, though, batting .192 with a .536 OPS and no homers.
GRADE: B
New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox during game one of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
ANTHONY VOLPE
Volpe fell way off after a strong 2024 postseason had fueled high hopes. Had the fourth-most errors (19) in baseball and a career-worst .272 on-base percentage. He looked lost in the ALDS, going 1-for-15 with 11 strikeouts. Still, he got his defense back on track after his midseason woes became a dominant Yankee storyline. Also had 55 extra-base hits, including 19 home runs, and added 72 RBI. Next year could be a crossroads-type season for the 24-year-old, homegrown shortstop.
GRADE: D
PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT
Maybe he didn’t have the big power numbers (10 homers, .403 slugging percentage) that he piled up earlier in his career, but Goldschmidt provided strong defense at first base, was clutch (.312 average with RISP) and hammered lefties. He was fourth in MLB with a .981 OPS against left-handed pitching.
GRADE: B
JOSÉ CABALLERO
A fine, versatile deadline pickup who played second, third, short and the outfield for the Yanks and had an .828 OPS in 40 games. He was 15-for-18 in steals after donning pinstripes and over his time in the Bronx and Tampa Bay he led MLB with 49 thefts. How will he impact the shortstop position next year?
GRADE: B
RYAN MCMAHON
He’s a spectacular defensive player – did you see that tumble and catch into the Red Sox dugout? – who helped solidify the infield after he took over third base and let Chisholm move to third. He’s got potential for some thump, matching Rice’s average exit velocity (93.3 mph), though he only hit four homers in 54 games with the Yankees, 20 overall including his time in Colorado.
GRADE: B-
May 14, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) hits an RBI doube against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. / John Froschauer-Imagn Images
JASSON DOMÍNGUEZ
Mega prospect had 10 homers, 23 steals and a .719 OPS in 123 games. He really struggled as a right-handed hitter, batting only .204 against lefties. Only had one postseason at-bat, a pinch-hit double. Next year’s big for him, too.
GRADE: C+
AUSTIN WELLS
Hit 21 homers and drove in 71 runs as a catcher, so there was some offensive contribution from a defensive position, though his OPS-plus of 95 was below MLB average and he hit only .227 with a .488 OPS in the playoffs. Trusted behind the plate, he’s an excellent pitch-framer and caught 25.3 percent of runners trying to steal, well above league average (21.5 percent).
GRADE: B
WILL WARREN
Overall numbers didn’t match his nasty repertoire, but Warren has plenty of promise. The rookie struck out 9.5 per nine innings and had a 4.44 ERA and gave the Yanks needed bulk, tying for the AL lead with 33 starts and throwing 162.1 innings.
GRADE: B-
LUIS GIL
Abbreviated numbers were OK – 3.32 ERA in 11 starts after return from injury. But his underlying metrics were scary as his stuff lost some of his electricity while he tried harder to throw strikes. Another big talent who heads into a big 2026 for his career.
GRADE: C
Aug 5, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Devin Williams (38) reacts after leaving the game during the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
DEVIN WILLIAMS
Elite reliever whose early struggles fouled his overall numbers (4.76 ERA) and incurred fans’ ire. He was the closer, then wasn’t the closer and ended as a trusted setup man with 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings.
GRADE: C+
TIM HILL
In 70 outings, the lefty had a 3.09 ERA and was real hell on left-handed hitters, holding them to a .181 average and .444 OPS. Had three scoreless outings in the playoffs, including a key 1.1 innings in the Game 3 comeback in the ALDS.
GRADE: B+
LUKE WEAVER
He retired only one of the seven batters he faced in the playoffs, so he had a 135.00 ERA. Yikes. His season numbers, including a 3.62 ERA, were OK, but this was not a big-time follow-up to his strong 2024.
GRADE: C
FERNANDO CRUZ
The Yanks really missed Cruz and his elite splitter when he was injured. On the split, he held hitters to a .178 average and .280 slugging. Overall, he had a 3.56 ERA and 13.5 K/9 during the regular season and a 2.45 ERA in four postseason outings.
GRADE: B
New York Yankees pitcher Camilo Doval (75) throws in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game one of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre / Nick Turchiaro - Imagn Images
CAMILO DOVAL
Doval had a rough transition after coming over in a deadline deal, recording a 4.82 ERA and walking 11 in 18.2 innings. But he looked more like himself (2.70 ERA) in the playoffs, which added oomph to the bullpen.
GRADE: C+
DAVID BEDNAR
Bednar, probably the Yankees’ best deadline pickup, stabilized the back end of the bullpen when he arrived, even though he blew his first pinstriped save opportunity. He had a 2.19 ERA and 10 saves in 22 regular season outings and a 1.50 ERA and two more saves in five playoff appearances.
GRADE: B+
AMED ROSARIO
Utility pickup brought in to combat lefties, Rosario had a .788 OPS in 33 at-bats and then went 3-for-10 in the playoffs.
LOS ANGELES — Eyes red, Orion Kerkering received words of support from his Philadelphia Phillies teammates.
“‘Just keep your head up. It’s an honest mistake. Just, it’s baseball,’” he remembered hearing.
“`You’ll be good for a long time to come,’” they added.
“It’s not my fault, then. We had opportunities to score,” was the message he kept getting.
Kerkering made a wild throw past home plate instead of tossing to first after mishandling Andy Pages’ bases-loaded comebacker with two outs in the 11th inning. Pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim scored and the Phillies were eliminated with a 2-1 loss that gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a 3-1 NL Division Series victory.
“It means a lot. It shows they care a lot,” Kerkering said of his teammates. “It just means everything, for sure.”
Kerkering won’t forget just the second error that ended a postseason series. Phillies fans won’t, either.
“Test wall, for sure,” the 24-year-old reliever said, managing a small smile. “Just kind of keep going with it. It’s hopefully starting a long career. Just keep in the back of my head ... get over this hump. Keep pushing.”
Nick Castellanos’ RBI double in the seventh off Emmet Sheehan put the Phillies ahead, but Jhoan Duran walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded in the bottom half, forcing in the tying run.
Tommy Edman singled off Jesús Luzardo with one out in the 11th and went to third on Max Muncy’s two-out single that eluded diving shortstop Trea Turner.
Kerkering walked Kiké Hernández, loading the bases. Pages, in a 1-for-23 postseason slide, hit what appeared to be a harmless grounder, the type every pitcher practices gloving from spring training on.
Kerkering bobbled it, yet still had time to get Pages at first base. That’s where catcher J.T. Realmuto was pointing.
But when Kerkering reached back to his right and picked up the ball, in one motion he made a hurried sidearm toss toward home from 46 feet away. The ball sailed up the third-base line, past Realmuto’s outstretched mitt. After originally running past the plate, Kim returned to touch it.
“I was surprised he threw it home,” Kim said through a translator. “I just ran as hard as I could.”
Kerkering hung his head and put hands on knees.
“Just hit off my foot,” Kerkering said. “Once the pressure got to me, I just thought there’s a little faster throw to J.T., little quicker throw than trying to cross-body it to Bryce (Harper at first base). So just a (terrible) throw.”
Realmuto put a hand on the side of Kerkering’s head and then on a shoulder.
“Twenty-four-year-old kid like that, he’s probably feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders after that play,” Realmuto said. “So I just tried to reassure him that the whole game’s not on him. There was a lot opportunity for us to win that game and we didn’t do what it took.”
Phillies manager Rob Thomson wrapped an arm around Kerkering when the reliever reached the dugout.
“He just got caught up in the moment a little bit,” Thomson said. “I feel for him because he’s putting it all on his shoulders.”
Teammates did their best with soothing words.
“I feel bad. Not just for him. I don’t want to feel like — put pity on him, but it could have been any one of us,” Turner said. “It’s a team effort.”
Philadelphia, second in the major leagues with 96 wins this season, was held to four hits and went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position.
“That’s a really good team over there,” said Harper, who was 0 for 4 with a walk. “We went toe-to-toe today. Pretty (good) heavyweight fight back and forth. Really good pitching, obviously, and they came out on top.”
Kyle Schwarber, who hit an NL-best 56 home runs, hit two more in a Game 3 win but was 1 for 12 with seven strikeouts in the three series losses.
Schwarber, Realmuto, left-hander Ranger Suárez and outfielder Max Kepler are eligible for free agency. Center fielder Harrison Bader has a mutual contract option, and left-hander José Alvarado has a club option.
“You make so many personal relationships with guys throughout the course of the year,” Schwarber said. “They become family. You never know how (free agency) will go. But these guys know how I feel about them. I have a lot of respect for the guys in here, our organization, our coaching staff, everybody top to bottom.”
After losing to Houston in the 2022 World Series, the Phillies were knocked out in the 2023 National League Championship Series and now in consecutive Division Series.
“You’ve got a lot of talent in this room,” Kerkering said. “I know a couple guys are leaving, but the guys that we know are going to be here next year are guys that always are going to compete every single day. Just keep grabbing for it. The goal is a championship, no matter what, no matter what group of guys.”
As the 2025 Mets devolved from a team with World Series hopes to one that missed the playoffs, the main culprit behind their fall was the pitching -- the starting rotation specifically.
Among the issues?
The season-ending injuries suffered by Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill in June, the summer struggles of David Peterson and Sean Manaea, and the transition from reliever to starter that led to truncated starts by Clay Holmes.
But the most puzzling thing that impacted New York's 2025 rotation was the Jekyll and Hyde performance of Kodai Senga.
Over his first 13 starts from April 1 to June 12 -- spanning 73.2 innings -- Senga posted a 1.47 ERA (3.24 FIP) while allowing just 51 hits.
During his start on June 12, Senga injured his hamstring while receiving a high throw from Pete Alonso as he covered first base. That injury kept him out for roughly a month, and there are many who draw a throughline right there when trying to assess why it all went wrong.
But Senga was strong in his first start back from the IL, tossing 4.0 scoreless innings on July 11 while allowing four hits, walking two, and striking out four.
After that, it was a nightmare for the 32-year-old, who had a 6.56 ERA (6.11 FIP) in 35.2 innings over eight starts from July 21 through Aug. 31. After his start on Aug. 31, Senga accepted an assignment to the minors, where he was unable to get his mechanics straight or find his stuff.
Aug 31, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the second inning at Citi Field. / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO TRADE SENGA
More than anything, it is Senga's ongoing struggle to get his mechanics right -- and the massive issues that often pop up when he doesn't feel they're 100 percent in place -- that has been the most frustrating aspect of Senga's tenure in New York.
The hope when Senga went to the minors was that it was a largely stress-free spot where he could get right. That he couldn't reach a point where he was able to return and pitch in the majors should have alarm bells going off.
Looking at Senga's pitch mix, his forkball remained elite in 2025 -- hitters slugged a minuscule .188 against it -- but he had serious difficulties with consistency when it came to the offering.
Meanwhile, Senga's two other most used pitches (his four-seam fastball and cutter) were crushed.
Opposing hitters slugged .543 against the four-seamer while slugging .483 against the cutter.
Beyond Senga's battle to get his mechanics in order and find the correct pitch mix is his growing injury history.
Since the start of the 2024 season, Senga has missed time due to injuries to his shoulder, calf, and hamstring. Those issues limited him to just 5.1 regular season innings in 2024 and 113.1 innings in 2025.
New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Chase Field. / Rick Scuteri - Imagn Images
WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO KEEP SENGA
Senga's rookie campaign in 2023 and his first few months in 2025 are proof that he can pitch near the top of the rotation when he's at his best.
His advanced numbers from April through June in 2025 show that he was perhaps due for a bit of a regression, but his 2023 was utterly dominant.
In 166.1 innings over 29 starts, Senga had a 2.98 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while allowing just 126 hits and striking out 202 batters -- a rate of 10.9 per nine innings.
Senga's four-seamer (grading out in the 98th percentile) and forkball (93rd percentile) were also elite in 2023, as was his whiff percentage, barrel percentage, strikeout rate, and xBA. Meanwhile, his ground ball rate and xERA were above average.
Senga might not profile as a true ace in the event he gets it together, but he possesses high upside.
He's also relatively affordable -- set to make $15 million each of the next two seasons. The Mets have a conditional club option for 2028 worth $15 million that will kick in if Senga has Tommy John surgery or a right elbow injury that keeps him on the IL for 130 or more days.
There's also the rest of the rotation to consider when weighing Senga's future. In other words, while there are concerns about Senga, there are questions surrounding most other potential members of the rotation, too.
May 13, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) waves to the crowd after getting taken out in the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz - Imagn Images
VERDICT
Using logic and deductive reasoning, it's fair to believe that three pitchers might be penciled in right now as members of the Mets' 2026 rotation: Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, and Nolan McLean.
Manaea did not perform well in 2025, but he was also pitching with loose bodies in his elbow. Additionally, his salary ($22 million annual luxury tax hit through 2027) could be prohibitive when it comes to finding a potential trade partner.
It's also likely that Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong will both play a big role in 2026, though that might not come from the jump.
SAN FRANCISCO — During the final homestand at Oracle Park, the lower deck was dotted with No. 78 jerseys, which will become a throwback next spring when Bryce Eldridge is given a much lower number. But those weren’t the only souvenirs from the 20-year-old’s two-week cameo in the big leagues.
Eldridge picked up his first big league hit, and his mom even managed to snag a Matt Chapman foul ball while watching a game at Dodger Stadium. There were a lot of lessons that the organization’s top prospect will take away from September, too.
“You’ve got to make adjustments at this level,” he said on the final day of the season. “I’m just excited that I got the opportunity. I love the fact that I got that out of the way going into next year. I know the things I’ve got to work on. I’m just excited and looking forward to next year and continuing to have a bigger role on this team.”
The Giants never intended to have Eldridge get his feet wet in September, but when Dominic Smith went down with the team still fighting for a Wild Card spot, Buster Posey made the move in hopes that it could provide a jolt down the stretch. Eldridge ended up getting 37 plate appearances over 10 games, showing why he’s potentially a franchise-altering hitter and also what he has to work on.
Eldridge finished with just three hits, but when he made contact, he showed his elite power. He had an average exit velocity of 95.6 mph, a tick above Aaron Judge, who led qualified big leaguers at 95.4 mph. In a small sample, Eldridge also posted what would have been the league’s best hard-hit percentage. He was at 68.8 percent, well ahead of Kyle Schwarber’s 59.6 percent. His expected slugging percentage would have been a top 20 figure in the league over a full season.
That power was there throughout his Triple-A season, too, but Eldridge also had a high strikeout rate, which is one reason the Giants were holding him back all summer. That showed in the big leagues, too. His 35.1 percent strikeout rate would be the highest in the big leagues over a full season. He did, however, counter that with a high walk rate.
Add it up and it’s about exactly what was expected given his age and lack of experience. When Eldridge makes contact, it’s special … but he certainly has work to do in terms of limiting strikeouts.
“I think it’s kind of what we anticipated we might see,” president of baseball operations Buster Posey said on Giants Talk. “You could see some swing and miss, he hit the ball hard. I was impressed at some of his takes. I thought he did a nice job against some really tough pitchers. It’s a big jump. It’s a big jump from Triple-A to the big leagues for a lot of different reasons and one is the quality of arms that you’re seeing every day and every night, starting pitching and relief pitching. There were some takes against (Yoshinobu) Yamamoto that were balls just under the zone that he did a nice job with.
“It’s exciting to have a guy that you know there’s tremendous upside. I know he knows and we all know there’s a lot of room for growth still and we’re excited to keep watching that.”
The call-up put Eldridge on the 40-man roster, eliminating one hurdle to having him on the Opening Day roster next season. But the Giants haven’t committed to anything for 2026, at least publicly.
Eldridge showed he’s more comfortable at first than he was earlier in the year, but if the front office wants him to get a bit more seasoning on that side and continue to work on his approach in Triple-A, there’s an avenue to do that. Rafael Devers likely will be the primary first baseman next year, anyway. There’s some interest in a reunion with Smith, although that’s likely far-fetched given that the roster will at some point have two left-handed first base/DH types in Devers and Eldridge.
Given how much they have to do on the pitching side, the Giants could also go into the offseason with a plan to start Eldridge in the big leagues next year no matter what. A midseason injury limited him a bit in Triple-A, but he got a taste of MLB pitching late in the year and can work on adjustments all spring. That would set him up for an early matchup with Judge, a fellow 6-foot-7 hitter, and give him another chance to get one more milestone out of the way in a big game. The Giants open 2026 on national television against the New York Yankees.
Eldridge came a few feet short of picking up his first homer at Dodger Stadium. He didn’t get that first homer at Oracle Park over the final week, but he said that’s one part of the late-season cameo that wasn’t stressing him out.
“It’ll come when it comes. I’m not worried about it,” he said. “I think there will be plenty of them in my career. I just have to wait a little bit longer, but it’s not a big deal.”
The Dodgers defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS despite Shohei Ohtani going one for 18 at the plate with nine strikeouts in the series. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
In those buoyant days of spring, Dodgers fans blithely predicted their star-studded and well-financed team would win, say, 125 games. No major league team had won more than 116 but, if the Dodgers were going to ruin baseball, they would have a damn good time doing it.
Then the season started, and with it the ups and downs, and the injuries and the inconsistencies. The Dodgers won the National League West, of course, but with what they would consider a very modest 93 wins.
Eventually, far later than their fans expected, they roared. They closed the regular season by winning five of their final six series. They swept the Cincinnati Reds in the wild-card round. They dismissed the Philadelphia Phillies in four games in the division series.
The Dodgers have gone 20-6 over these past five weeks. That is a .769 winning percentage, which over a full season would translate into ... 125 victories.
The Dodgers have advanced to baseball’s final four, losing just once in six postseason games. If these are the real Dodgers, the rest of the league appears to be in trouble.
But what if these are not the real Dodgers? The Dodgers are winning but, as the cliche goes, are they hitting on all cylinders?
“Not yet,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said amid the team’s second champagne celebration in nine days.
Dodgers catcher Will Smith smiled at the question of whether the Dodgers have another gear within them.
“I think there’s another gear,” Smith said. “Look at Shohei.”
Ohtani, the defending most valuable player and the presumed repeat winner, had one hit in 18 at-bats in the division series. He struck out nine times.
He scored a franchise-record and league-leading 146 runs this season, just about one every game. In the four games of the division series, he neither hit a home run or scored a run.
“He didn’t do much this series,” Smith said. “I expect next series for him to come out and hit like five homers. That’s just who he is.”
The Dodgers’ starters are healthy and effective at the right time. In six postseason games, the Dodgers have five quality starts. They have deployed another starter as a closer and yet another as a setup man, and the rest of their bullpen might charitably be described as a work in progress.
In the four-game division series, they batted .199 with more errors (three) than home runs (two).
“I think we won this series because we pitched really well,” utility player Kiké Hernández said.
As the players doused one another in celebration, the Dodgers readily gave credit to a Phillies pitching staff that might rate as the best they will face this October. In this series, the Phillies posted a 2.87 earned-run average and the Dodgers posted a 3.32 ERA.
“That’s a great team over there,” Roberts said. “We took every punch that they threw at us.
That said …
“I think that we can be better,” Hernández said. “We didn’t necessarily defend the way we can defend. We didn’t hit the way we can hit. Even though we beat a really, really good team, we can be even better.
“That just speaks volumes about this group. We have gone through so much together. We’re battle-tested, and we’re going to find a way to win a ballgame even when things are not going our way.”
On Thursday, they advanced to their seventh NLCS in 10 seasons by winning a game in which they did not get an extra-base hit, or a hit with a runner in scoring position. In the regular season, they led the NL in runs and home runs.
On Wednesday, before the Dodgers lost their only game this postseason, third baseman Max Muncy scoffed at the notion the team was hitting on all cylinders.
“I still think there's another gear in there,” Muncy said. “I don't think we fully reached where we can be at. And that’s not saying we are, and that’s not saying we aren’t. But I still think there's a whole other level in there we haven’t reached yet.”
What would tell you that you’ve reached it?
“I think you would know,” he smiled to a gathering of reporters. There was laughter in the room, and room for his already accomplished team to grow.
Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki delivers in the ninth inning of a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Hooting and hollering, the players raised the little paper cups in their hands and emptied the contents into their mouths to celebrate the three perfect innings delivered by Sasaki in an 11-inning, 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies that secured their place in the National League Championship Series.
The emergence of Sasaki as an October hero was as unexpected as his relief performances in the NL Division Series were electric.
How did this happen?
How could a newcomer who practically vanished when he went down with a shoulder impingement five months earlier become the team’s most dominant reliever?
How could a pitcher on whom the Dodgers had more or less given up produce what manager Dave Roberts described as “one of the great all-time appearances out of the pen”?
Sasaki can point to when he started down the road to postseason glory.
“The scene in the hotel,” Sasaki said in Japanese.
Sept. 8.
Sasaki was in a hotel room in Oklahoma City, preparing to pitch the next day for the Dodgers’ triple-A affiliate.
While eating, he watched videos of himself pitching for Ofunato High School. His signature high leg kick was the same then as it was now, but what he did in the next phase of his delivery wasn’t.
Sasaki noticed that he used to be more explosive before landing his plant foot and releasing the baseball.
“This is it,” he said to himself.
Right there, in his Oklahoma City hotel room, Sasaki started shadow pitching, wanting to recapture the feeling in his lower body from when he was viewed as the most talented pitcher his country had ever produced.
The next day, Sasaki rediscovered his fastball.
Of the 90 pitches he threw in his 4⅔-inning start, six of them were clocked faster than 100 mph. His average fastball velocity was 98.5 mph.
Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki delivers during the eighth inning of Game 4 of the NLDS against the Phillies at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
His average fastball velocity in the start before that: 94.4 mph.
A couple of days later, Sasaki met with Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes. While assuring him they viewed him as a starter next year and beyond, they presented him with the idea of a temporary move to the bullpen, which could drastically improve his chances of making the playoff roster.
Sasaki has done more than make the roster.
Most valuable players aren’t chosen for division-round series, but if they were, Sasaki would have likely claimed the prize.
He saved Games 1 and 2.
Roberts called on Sasaki to pitch two innings in the clinching game. Sasaki ended up pitching three, starting with an eighth inning in which he retired Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm in order.
Sasaki made the Phillies look as overmatched at the plate as Postseason Shohei Ohtani, also pitching perfect ninth and 10th innings.
“I was relieved,” Sasaki said.
Roberts was feeling more intense emotion — “Pure elation,” he said — which was why he didn’t wait for Sasaki to return to the dugout to embrace him. Roberts jumped off the bench and hugged Sasaki on the field.
Sasaki’s effort kept the score level at 1-1, positioning the Dodgers to win the game in the 11th inning on a throwing error by Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering.
“Roki was unbelievable,” starter Tyler Glasnow said. “Since coming back, coming in from the bullpen, he’s honestly one of the best pitchers I’ve ever seen. His stuff is incredible.”
Sasaki didn’t look like this in the eight starts he made early in the regular season. Part of that was health-related, as Sasaki has said that his shoulder problems affected his arm slot. When Sasaki recovered, he regained more than his natural throwing motion and previous fastball velocity.
He also regained his confidence.
Sasaki has projected an entirely different energy than he did at his introductory news conference, at which he looked uncomfortable.
When he was asked if he was taunted by fans at Citizens Bank Park, he said he didn’t understand what they were saying. The implication: He didn’t care.
When he was asked about his first season in the major leagues, he said he felt as if his injury prevented him from gauging the level of competition. The implication: If he was healthy, he would have dominated the way he is now.
“He’s very shy, reserved,” Roberts said. “But I do think that [since] coming back, he’s opened up a lot more. I think he’s showing more of who he really is and showing some emotion.”
The change was reflected on the field in the NLDS, Sasaki attacking the Phillies in a style that conveyed a hit-me-if-you-can attitude. The demeanor has contributed to him being the ace of the bullpen this October and it could be why he will be the ace of the rotation in the future.
“We’re starting to see something really special in him,” Roberts said. “What he’s done now on the biggest stages, he’s just scratching the surface.”
The Giants president of baseball operations explained why he knew the Golden State is where he belongs in Wednesday’s inaugural “415 Podcast” episode hosted by The San Francisco Standard’s Kerry Crowley.
“Well, this is home,” Posey told Crowley. “I think for me personally, it took a year away to realize just how important and special this part of the world had become to me and my wife and our kids. My wife will tell you, she didn’t want to make the move back to Georgia to begin with. … It’s really hard to explain. You’re hopeful that everybody out there gets to experience that feeling of a place where you belong. And we’ve spent basically our entire adult lives here; our kids were all born here.
“Really, what spurred this move on was [that] we came back out, probably eight months or so to being in Georgia, and were visiting some friends and here for some sort of engagement … Like 24 hours in, my wife and I looked at each other, and [we were] like, ‘Why aren’t we living here?’ And it was one of those strange life moments, where we made the decision on the fly.”
Posey essentially grew up in San Francisco after the franchise selected him with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2008 MLB Draft out of Florida State, playing his entire 13-year career with the Giants.
Upon retiring in 2021, Posey moved his family back to their roots in Georgia, but as he explained, California kept calling.
And it’s safe to say it was meant to be.
“We’ve been back a couple of years now,” Posey told Crowley. “It’s great. It’s home. The downside is definitely not being able to see family as much as we’d like. But this is home for the Poseys, and we love being here.”
CHICAGO (AP) — Matthew Boyd pitched two-hit ball into the fifth inning, and the Chicago Cubs shut down the Milwaukee Brewers for a 6-0 victory Thursday night that pushed their NL Division Series all the way to a decisive Game 5.
Ian Happ, Kyle Tucker and Michael Busch homered for Chicago, delighting a rollicking Wrigley Field crowd of 41,770. Busch went deep for the second straight game and third time in the series.
The Cubs were on the brink of elimination after they dropped the first two games of the NLDS in Milwaukee. But they held on for a 4-3 victory Wednesday before making the most of a sharp performance by Boyd and four relievers in Game 4.
Next up is the finale of the best-of-five series back in Milwaukee on Saturday night. The winner takes on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
The Brewers, who went 97-65 this season for the majors’ best record, finished with three hits. They were 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position and left 13 on base overall in the series’ two games at Wrigley.
Boyd also started the series opener Saturday. Pitching on three days’ rest, he recorded just two outs while Freddy Peralta worked into the sixth inning in Milwaukee’s 9-3 win.
Given another opportunity, Boyd delivered. The All-Star left-hander struck out six and walked three in 4 2/3 innings.
The 34-year-old Boyd was staked to an early lead when Happ drove a 1-1 fastball from Peralta deep to right for a three-run drive with two out in the first. Nico Hoerner singled and Tucker walked ahead of Happ’s third career postseason homer.
Chicago has gone deep in the first in each of the four NLDS games. It has scored 11 of its 16 runs in the series in the first inning.
It was a big moment for Happ, who went 2 for 21 with 11 strikeouts in Chicago’s first six postseason games this year.
The Cubs had a 3-0 lead when Boyd exited with runners on second and third in the fifth, drawing a huge ovation from the crowd. Daniel Palencia came in and retired Jackson Chourio on a popup to shortstop, ending the inning.
Palencia also worked the sixth in this third win of the playoffs. Drew Pomeranz and Brad Keller each got three outs before Caleb Thielbar handled the ninth.
Chicago blew a bases-loaded opportunity in the fifth, but Matt Shaw hit an RBI single off Aaron Ashby in the sixth. The rookie third baseman had two hits after he went 0 for 12 in his first six postseason games.
Tucker added a leadoff drive in the seventh against Robert Gasser, and Busch connected in the eighth. It was Busch’s fourth homer in this postseason overall.
Dodgers players swarm teammate Andy Pages after he helped bring in the decisive run. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
This hasn’t been the best of seasons for Tommy Edman or the best of postseasons for Andy Pages.
But both stepped up when they were needed most Thursday, with Edman singling to start the game-winning rally and Pages’ soft comebacker to the mound starting the strange play that gave the Dodgers a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the National League Division Series. The victory sends the team on to next week’s NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs or Milwaukee Brewers.
For Edman, baseball’s biggest stage has long been a comfortable place. If teammate Kiké Hernández has proven to be one of the best postseason players in recent history, Edman isn’t far behind. In five playoff series with the Dodgers, Edman, a .258 hitter in the regular season, is batting .306. And last October he had 11 hits and 11 RBIs against the Mets in the NLCS, winning MVP honors.
“Tommy is a competitor,” infielder Miguel Rojas said during the Dodgers’ beer-soaked victory celebration, a pair of ski googles on his head and a bottle of champagne in one hand. “I feel like everything that happens to him in this stage is not a coincidence.”
Edman certainly deserves something for the patience and persistence he showed during a trying summer. A right ankle injury, which sent him to the injury list twice, limited him to just 97 games and his .225 batting average and 78 hits were his lowest totals for a full season. Yet despite playing in discomfort during the playoffs, he’s hit safely in four of the five games in which he’s appeared.
“Everybody on our team likes the big moment,” Edman said. “We just do our best to keep on passing the baton and find a way to win.”
Edman made his biggest contribution in the 11th inning Thursday, though he had to watch from the bench to see how it played out. With one out, Edman battled through an eight-pitch at-bat before lining a single to left, the Dodgers’ first hit since the seventh inning.
Edman then exited for pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim, who came around to score the winning run on a single, a walk and Pages’ two-hopper back to the mound that Phillies’ pitcher Orion Kerkering fumbled, then threw away. The comic sequence so surprised Kim, he ran past the plate before returning to make sure the run counted.
Tommy Edman hits a single during the Dodgers' 2-1 win over the Phillies in Game 4 of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“You see the ball come off the bat, you think it's the third out, and you see him boot it and throw the ball away,” Edman said. “And that's the game right there. Definitely not the way we expected to win.”
It may not have been pretty, or even particularly memorable. But it kept alive the Dodgers’ quest to win a second consecutive World Series.
“We’re glad to be moving on,” Edman said. “And hopefully it ends well with a few more wins.”
While Edman is at his best under the postseason spotlight, Pages is...well, the opposite. He hit .211 with more strikeouts than hits in the first two playoff series last fall and was left off the roster for the World Series.
His struggles have been even more pronounced this fall. When he came to the plate with the bases loaded in the 11th inning Thursday, he was 1 for 23 in the postseason.
He managed to put the ball in play, however, and Kerkering did the rest.
“Anything can happen when you put the ball in play,” Rojas said. “He's been fighting, and he's been going through it in the [batting] cage. I know how hard he works. The confidence that he can get from this is going to be amazing.”
Across the room Pages stood in an expanding puddle of champagne, clutching a handful of Budweiser bottles as teammates took turns pouring beer over this head.
“I knew that moment would come,” he said in Spanish. “The two at-bats before the last one, I had good at-bats. But it wasn't my moment. So, I just thought maybe there will be another one.”
For Pages, who batted .272 with 27 homers and 86 RBIs during the regular season, it wasn’t the most impressive at-bat in his short career. But it may have been the most important.
“Our goal has always been the same: to win the World Series,” Pages said.“To keep moving forward, keep winning games, is what ultimately matters to us.”
But there’s also something personal at stake for Pages, who grew up in Cuba so poor his carpenter father made the bats he played with. He escaped from the island at 15 to chase a pro career, the only thing that would make that sacrifice worth the price. His parents, meanwhile, remain in Cuba, separated from a son who they follow on TV and through social media.
“It’s humbling,” Sullivan said on winning his first game with the Rangers. “It’s an incredible honor to be the coach of the New York Rangers. It’s a franchise that has such history to it. For me it’s just a privilege that I don’t take for granted. I’m excited about the group of players that we have here.
“There’s been a certain enthusiasm on the team that has been really rewarding from a coaching standpoint. It’s tangible, we can feel it. We get the first win, it means a lot to me, J.T. (Miller) gave me the game puck, which was nice.”
