The Philadelphia Phillies were right one swing away from turning the tables in Game 2 of the NLDS. Down 4-1, heading into the ninth, the crowd was loud, and the momentum was definitely shifting. It looked like one of those vintage comebacks from the Phillies that was on the horizon. But, well, it turns out that Dave Roberts and the Los Angeles Dodgers had some other plans. And Mookie Betts was the executioner of that!

After a couple of sharp hits cut the Dodgers’ lead to just one, the Phillies suddenly had the tying run at second and no outs. This is when Bryson Stott came up with the intention to bunt Nick Castellanos. But what happened next might go down as one of the smartest defensive plays of this postseason—a wheel play. Dave Roberts later mentioned that it was an “impromptu” decision and that it wasn’t part of the plan or even practiced.

Max Muncy charged towards the bunt, and Mookie Betts, who is playing shortstop, broke towards the third base to cover the bag. It was a split-second call—done timely and perfectly executed. Muncy scooped the ball clean, and Betts got there in time, and he tagged out Castellanos. Just like that, the Phillies got stalled off their momentum. And this is a huge thing coming from Betts, given this is his first stint this season as a shortstop, but he has been nothing but stellar. So good that even the opposition can’t help but admire, even though their jobs might be at risk now.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson admired the play, saying, “Mookie did a great job of disguising the wheel play. We teach our guys that if you see a wheel, just pull it back and slash because you’ve got all kinds of room in the middle. But Mookie broke so late that it was tough for Stotty to pick it up.” This was the kind of brilliance that cannot be planned or rehearsed, but it definitely changed the outcome of the game around.

Plus, Betts not only made the tag but also had the awareness to stay ready for a potential advance from Stott. The Dodgers’ infield, which is led by Freeman sprinting to cover second, looked all in sync like a dance troupe. Then, after the third out, Harrison Bader singled, a hit that could’ve tied the game if not for the sharp defense by Mookie Betts. Then moments later, Sasaki came in and forced a quick groundout, and that sealed the win.

One thing is for sure: don’t get fooled just by Betts’ million-dollar smile—he eats opponents’ dreams for lunch!

Los Angeles Dodgers draw comparisons to Joe Torre’s legendary Yankees

Here is the truth—the Los Angeles Dodgers have been a force this postseason, as they were last time. And everyone is starting to take notice. In fact, analyst Dan Plesac recently made a comparison. He praised the team for their mix of power bats and the team’s “first baseball” ideology, and he even suggested that they could be remembered like the great Joe Torre-led Yankees team of the late 90s and early 2000s—and that’s huge praise.

This is huge because the Torres Yankees were a dynasty in every sense of the word. He was a Hall of Fame manager, and he guided the team to four World Series titles and six American League pennants, not to mention giving so many iconic moments that defined their franchise in that era. From 1996 to 2007, the Yankees dominated MLB and established that gold standard that not many teams have matched. Take, for example, the 1998 Yankees team, which still remains as one of the most dominant teams ever.

They won 114 games in the regular season, and it’s a franchise record! They even went on to win more titles in 1999 and 2000. This is the kind of legacy that Plesac thinks the Dodgers are chasing, and under their manager, Dave Roberts. Since he took over, he has helped the team in capturing our National League pennants and two World Series titles—a run that easily rivals any team in modern baseball. Plus, Roberts’ recent bullpen shakeup with Roki Sasaki is drawing reactions from others, too. 

Statistically, too, Roberts has that Torre-like dominance. His .621 winning percentage tops Torre’s .605 mark from his years in New York. But for sure, it will take another WS title for LA for Roberts to enter the legend conversation. But given how the team is playing right now, it seems like that’s not far from happening.