Philadelphia Phillies were eliminated from the postseason on Thursday night at heartbreaking fashion when they lost Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Division Series due to a pitcher's error while leaving the field. Orion Kerkering.
To set the stage: Kerkering induced a walk-off comebacker with two outs loaded with the bases. Andy Pages. However, Kerkering was unable to field the ball cleanly and had to retrieve it in front of the mound. Although he appeared to have enough time to hit first base and get out of the out, he instead attempted to throw straight to the target – “attempted” because his throw missed the mark, allowing a run to score.
Here's a look at the play in question:
Kerkering understandably looked distraught the moment he came down the hill. After that, he shared his opinion with the press.
“I won’t say there was pressure on me, I just thought it was a faster throw. [catcher J.T. Realmuto] than trying to cross it with [first baseman Bryce Harper]. Just throwing shit.” Kerkering said. He noted that he did not hear anyone direct his throw to first base, verbally or otherwise.
“It really sucks right now,” Kerkering said when asked if he could use this moment for good, “but hopefully we keep pushing and we can get past this barrier.”
Several Phillies employees cheered the game and offered support to their pitcher.
“Just keep your head up. He just got a little carried away in the moment. He served so well for us in that stretch,” coach Rob Thomson told Kerkering after the game. “I feel for him because he put everything on his shoulders. But we win as a team and we lose as a team.”
“Don't let it define who you are, your career or anything like that,” Harper who did not speak to Kerkering before speaking to the presssaid. “Obviously a big moment, a big situation, and it kind of just slipped away from him right there.”
Even another club expressed sympathy for Kerkering after the fourth game.
“Kerkering is a player. And you definitely feel for the player,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I'm obviously glad we won. But, yeah, he had a hell of a year and he's a hell of a pitcher.”
Kerkering's gaffe represents only the second time in Major League Baseball postseason history that a series has ended with a fielding error. The only other case occurred in 2016 when Toronto Blue Jays won Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series on Uneven smell issuance error, according to the OptaSTATS study.
Kerkering, 24, appeared 69 times in the regular season and posted a 3.30 ERA (134 ERA+) and a 2.41 strikeout-to-walk ratio. During his major league career, he has a 2.79 ERA (155 ERA+) and a 3.15 strikeout-to-walk ratio, making him one of the top contributors in the Phillies bullpen.
