The Philadelphia Phillies will have plenty of time to process yet another bitter playoffs elimination after falling to the Los Angles Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, but right now, they are consoling one of their own. Relief pitcher Orion Kerkering certainly could use their support after committing one of the more devastating errors in recent postseason history.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning, the young right-hander bobbled an Andy Pages ground ball and then rushed a throw to home plate instead of going to first base. He sailed it over catcher JT Realmuto’s head, and Hyeseong Kim scored the series-clinching run. While the Dodgers ran onto the field to celebrate in front of their home crowd, Kerkering was bent-over in anguish and dismay.
Realmuto immediately came over to lift him up, and many teammates followed suit. The Phillies manager echoed the sentiment and is crushed to see one of his guys carry the burden of a season-ending defeat.
“I feel for him because he’s putting it all on his shoulders,” Rob Thomson told reporters after the 2-1 heartbreaker. “But we win as a team and we lose as a team.”
The four-year skipper tried to comfort the right-hander, but he knows Kerkering will need time to heal from this gaping October wound. Thomson was proud of the grace his club demonstrated in the immediate aftermath of the blunder.
“That tells you about what they’re made of,” he said. “They support each other. As bad as you feel, it’s good to see them be there for each other.”
“I feel for [Orion Kerkering] because he’s putting it all on his shoulders. But we win as a team and we lose as a team.”
Phillies skipper Rob Thomson addresses the media following tonight’s loss. pic.twitter.com/x6JvRwwjMM
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 10, 2025
Phillies come up short in playoffs yet again
Despite a reportedly heated exchange between Thomson and Nick Castellanos from earlier in the season, the camaraderie in Philly’s clubhouse is well-documented. Many squads call themselves a family, but this group actually does display that type of closeness, during both the highs and lows. The Phillies are also exhibiting a keen sense of self-awareness.
Although Orion Kerkering made a brutal mistake, while also surrendering two runs in a Game 2 loss versus LA, the lineup did not do nearly enough in this NLDS. The No. 2 seed scored only six runs in Citizens Bank Park, failing to fully utilize what was supposed to be a huge advantage. The Dodgers’ enduring greatness is undeniable, but an MLB-leading 55-26 record in front of the home crowd should have amounted to at least one win in The City of Brotherly Love.
Still, when people look back on this battle of behemoths, they will remember Kerkering’s error. It is now up to the 24-year-old to learn from this misstep, push forward with the utmost motivation and find a way to not let this unfortunate gaffe define what has already started out has a productive big-league career.
Before beginning that challenging yet potentially fulfilling journey, however, he should lean on his Phillies brethren a bit longer.
