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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 5h

It’s only complete back to 1988 unfortunately. Sorry!

Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 6h

Leadoff HR on the first pitch of an LCS (since pitch counting began in 1988):

Brady Anderson, Orioles, 1997 ALCS
Kyle Schwarber, Phillies, 2023 NLCS
George Springer, Blue Jays, tonight

(All at home!)

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 1d

Here's how the Brewers won tonight:

3 runs
3 solo HR

Games they won in this regular season when scoring only on 3 solo homers - 0

Games they won in 2024 when scoring only on 3 solo homers - 0

But somehow, that's how they won the game that sent them to the NLCS

Baseball!

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 1d

The Brewers and Dodgers played 6 games this season.

Games won:
Brewers 6
Dodgers 0

Great NLCS on the way!

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 1d

“The ground was shaking every inning.”

My oh my. Amazing writing from ⁦‪Tyler on an October classic.

I couldn’t wait to read it. It was worth the wait

Tyler Kepner @tylerkepner.bsky.social · 1d

‘It just continues’: A new generation of Mariners heroes craft a baseball classic in Seattle

www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

‘It just continues’: A new generation of Mariners heroes craft a baseball classic in Seattle

Still seeking the first pennant in team history, the Mariners are headed to the ALCS for the first time since 2001.

www.nytimes.com

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 2d

On the 575th pitch!

What. A. Game.

CJ Fogler @cjzero.bsky.social · 2d

JORGE POLANCO WALKS IT OFF

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Reposted by Jayson Stark

Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 2d

New column from me

This time the Phillies can’t run it back.

Not after another season of beautiful dreams ended in the most painful, most unfathomable way possible, even by Phillies standards.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

This time the Phillies can’t run it back

Orion Kerkering’s panicked 11th-inning meltdown Thursday night didn’t just end the Phillies’ season. It ended an era. Now what?

www.nytimes.com

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 2d

Should have clarified this last night.

This was the first to end on a "pure" error.

In the 2016 ALDS, Rougned Odor made a walkoff throwing error trying to turn a DP for Texas. But there was also a forceout at 2nd on that play.

So this was the only one to end on a play that was "only" an error.

Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 3d

That was the first postseason series in history to end on a walkoff error.

What a crushing way for any team to end a season.

Bill Buckner might come to mind, but that was only Game 6.

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 2d

I'm so lucky to work with such talented people at @TheAthleticMLB

@MattGelb & @charlottevarnes eloquently capture both the pain & perspective of the Phillies loss

Charlotte on Schwarber & the future www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...
Matt on Kerkering & much more www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

What comes next for Phillies' core after 3 years of postseason pain?

www.nytimes.com

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 2d

New column from me

This time the Phillies can’t run it back.

Not after another season of beautiful dreams ended in the most painful, most unfathomable way possible, even by Phillies standards.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

This time the Phillies can’t run it back

Orion Kerkering’s panicked 11th-inning meltdown Thursday night didn’t just end the Phillies’ season. It ended an era. Now what?

www.nytimes.com

7 8 51

Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 3d

That was the first postseason series in history to end on a walkoff error.

What a crushing way for any team to end a season.

Bill Buckner might come to mind, but that was only Game 6.

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 3d

Every game is like a Game 7 this time of year.

Incredible to see Rob Thomson use his 4 most trusted starters in 2 games over 24 hours.

Amazing October theater in L.A.

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Reposted by Jayson Stark

Mike Lynch @sportinfo247.bsky.social · 3d

Of note: Jhoan Duran has never gotten more than 6 outs

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 3d

Jhoan Duran has faced 90 hitters since he joined the Phillies.

He has unintentionally walked 4 of them.

They're all Dodgers.

The 4th just came on a 3-2 pitch to Mookie - and tied this game, 1-1, as it heads to the 8th.

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 3d

Great Phillies-Dodgers reading in @theathletic.com

@mattgelb.bsky.social on trust, Schwarbombs & the Phillies www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

@fabianardaya.bsky.social asks if Dodgers awakened a beast www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

I wrote on Schwarber's epic HR www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

Phillies trust their process in Game 3 as Kyle Schwarber’s mighty swings keep season alive

There is so much more to do. But the Phillies are nine more innings from sending this series back to Citizens Bank Park.

www.nytimes.com

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 3d

"That's what the Blue Jays are. They're the American League version of the Brewers."

New Starkville! Eduardo Perez & Tim Kurkjian make us laugh & think with great October insight

They also talk future of baseball on ESPN - & booking copters, not Ubers!
theathletic.lnk.to/windTX

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 3d

We had one last October quadrupleheader. So we had one more quadrupleheader edition of the Weird & Wild column

The Blue Jays did what to the Yankees?
The Schwarbino's historic HR
Cubs & Tigers star in "Survivor"
A 2-pitch strikeout?
And lots more!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

Weird & Wild: Yankee-killing Blue Jays, Schwarber's epic blast and a two-pitch strikeout

www.nytimes.com

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 4d

Riley Greene hit one HR all season against a LH pitcher to give the Tigers the lead...

Off Gabe Speier, on July 13.

His go-ahead HR today was off...Gabe Speier

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 4d

“Those pitches don’t get hit, let alone that high off the foul pole, staying straight for that long.”

Great column from Ken on an amazing October swing by Judge

Ken Rosenthal @ken-rosenthal.bsky.social · 4d

How Aaron Judge’s momentous home run was ‘better than a perfect swing.’ www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...

How Aaron Judge’s momentous home run was ‘better than a perfect swing’

Judge has hit six home runs when facing elimination in the postseason. None resonated like this one.

www.nytimes.com

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 4d

The playoff Dodgers are "a team that we did not see during the regular season"

On the new Starkville, Eduardo Perez & Tim Kurkjian make us laugh & think with great October insight

They also talk future of baseball on ESPN - & booking copters, not Ubers!
theathletic.lnk.to/windTX

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 5d

So we will have 4 elimination games tomorrow

Tigers-Mariners at 3 ET
Cubs-Brewers at 5 ET
Yankees-Jaya at 7 ET
Dodgers-Phillies at 9 ET

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Reposted by Jayson Stark

James Smyth @jamessmyth621.bsky.social · 5d

on the Aaron Judge home run off the pole:

99.7 MPH is the fastest pitch he's ever hit for a homer

1.2 feet is the furthest-inside pitch he's ever hit for a homer

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 5d

Players who have homered in at least 3 straight postseason games against the Yankees:

Vlad Guerrero Jr. 2025 - 3
Freddie Freeman 2024 - 4
Randy Arozarena 2020 - 3
Bengie Molina 2005 - 3
Juan Gonzalez 1996 - 4

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 5d

Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper & Trea Turner are 2 for 21, with 11 strikeouts and 4 walks, in this NLDS.

So for my column today in @theathletic.com I asked Schwarber: Have your stars done enough in this series?

He was as accountable as ever.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...

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Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 5d

Great NLDS reading in @theathletic.com

@mattgelb.bsky.social on another painful Phillies October nytimes.com/athletic/669...

@fabianardaya.bsky.social on that bunt - & Mookie nytimes.com/athletic/669...

Also, I wrote!
nytimes.com/athletic/669...

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