Philadelphia has seen a lot of heartbreak. The city has gone 17 years without a World Series title, watching its Phillies come close but fall short time and time again. But what happened at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night hurt more than most losses. Orion Kerkering, a 24-year-old pitcher with a long career ahead of him, made a mistake that will stay in Philadelphia’s baseball memory for years to come. But the city won’t let him carry this weight alone.

The play went on in a cruelly simple way. In the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 4 of the NLDS, the score was tied at 1-1, and there were two outs. Andy Pages hit a simple grounder back to the mound. Kerkering dropped it, and panic set in. Instead of throwing to first base for an easy out, he threw it too far from home plate. The ball flew toward the backstop. Hyeseong Kim got the winning run. The Dodgers moved on to the NLCS. Philadelphia’s season came to an end with only the second walk-off error in postseason history.

Kerkering’s interview after the game showed how raw and real it was for someone who was going through a nightmare. “Once the pressure got to me, I just thought it was a faster throw to JT, a little quicker throw than trying to spot it at first,” he explained, his voice heavy with regret. He said he was so caught up in the moment that he didn’t hear his teammates calling for him to go to first. It was surprising how honest the rookie pitcher was about the mental breakdown. “This really sucks right now,” he said, already thinking about writing it on the wall for offseason motivation.

His teammates were very understanding. In the dugout, players hugged him. Rob Thomson, the manager, walked off the field next to him and offered him support. “A lot of guys have first ones,” Kerkering recalled his teammates telling him. “Just keep your head up. It’s an honest mistake.” They reminded him he would be good for a long time. “Those guys picking me up, it means a lot, shows they care,” Kerkering said. The support was immediate and unconditional.

The Phillies haven’t won a championship since 2008, when they beat Tampa Bay in the World Series. Seventeen years later, every time they lose in the postseason, it hurts more. They lost the World Series in 2009 and 2022. A loss in the NLCS in 2023. Now, an exit from the NLDS in 2025. But Philadelphia knows that one mistake in the 11th inning doesn’t make up for ten innings of missed chances. The offense only got one run in 11 innings. The bullpen kept the game close, but they couldn’t finish it. Kerkering made the last mistake, but everyone was to blame. The city has been through too much heartbreak to blame a 24-year-old rookie for 17 years of frustration.

Phillies fans stand behind Orion Kerkering despite Game 4 error

Even though the city was heartbroken, Philadelphia Phillies fans refused to blame Kerkering for the seventeen years of waiting. Even though the young pitcher had just been eliminated, supporters flooded social media with messages of support.

“We didn’t lose because of his error,” declared one fan, getting through the noise of quick reactions. Fans quickly spread the feeling as they talked about what really went wrong in Game 4. Another supporter agreed that the situation was complicated: “Say what you want. Console him what you want. But what’s done is done. The only way his legacy can change is if he helps the Phillies win a World Series.” The path forward was clear, even if painful.

One response stood out for its view on maturity: “He is handling his error more maturely and with dignity than most of the Phillies’ fans right now.” People respected Kerkering even though he fell because he was honest after the game. Another fan put the blame where it belonged: “Don’t blame him, he’s one h–l of a pitcher. The team as a collective lost the series when they allowed losing two games at Citizens Bank Park.” The home losses in Games 1 and 2 had set the stage for Thursday’s heartbreak.

The offensive struggles couldn’t be ignored. “His error cost them the game, but Top 3 hitters had 1 hit amongst them,” read another reaction that talked about how Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Bryce Harper only got one hit in eleven innings. The truth hurt more than any one mistake could.