Game 4 of the 2025 National League Division Series (NLDS) between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended in heartbreaking fashion for Philadelphia fans. What seemed like a routine play turned into a season-ending mistake that will be remembered for years to come.

In a tense extra-inning battle at Dodger Stadium, the Phillies’ promising young reliever Orion Kerkering committed a costly throwing error in the 11th inning — one that allowed the winning run to score and eliminated the Phillies from the postseason. Here’s a breakdown of what happened, why it happened, and how Kerkering and his teammates handled the aftermath.

What happened in the 11th inning that led to the error?

The game was tied 1–1 heading into the bottom of the 11th inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages hit a slow ground ball right back to Orion Kerkering.

As the ball rolled toward the mound, it deflected off Kerkering’s left foot, momentarily throwing off his balance. Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto, recognizing the situation, motioned for Kerkering to make the easy throw to first baseman Bryce Harper, which would have ended the inning and kept the Phillies alive.

Instead, under immense pressure and with runners sprinting home, Kerkering tried to throw to the plate — a decision that backfired immediately. His rushed throw sailed over Realmuto’s glove and toward the backstop, allowing Hyeseong Kim to score the winning run.

The Dodgers walked off 2–1, clinching the series and advancing to the NL Championship Series. The Phillies, who had high hopes of returning to the World Series, were eliminated in devastating fashion.

Why did Orion Kerkering choose to throw home instead of first base?

After the game, Kerkering was candid about his thought process during the play. He explained that he panicked under pressure and believed that throwing home would be the quicker option to prevent the run from scoring.

“Once the pressure got to me, I just thought there’s a faster throw to J.T., little quicker throw than trying to cross-body it to Bryce,” Kerkering told reporters. “Just a horse—- throw.”

Replay showed that Kerkering had ample time to throw to first, but the chaos of the moment — the noise, the stakes, and the deflection off his foot — caused him to rush a difficult throw. Realmuto’s hand gestures went unnoticed in the heat of the moment, and the result sealed Philadelphia’s fate.

How did Orion Kerkering react to the error?

As the Dodgers celebrated their walk-off win, Kerkering stood motionless near the mound, visibly shaken. His head was bowed, hands on his knees, as the reality of the moment sank in.

He later faced the media with red eyes but answered every question about the play. “It just hit off my foot,” Kerkering said. “Once that pressure got to me, I just thought there’s a little faster throw to J.T. … Just a bad throw.”

The 24-year-old reliever admitted that the mistake would be difficult to forget but acknowledged the support he received from teammates. “Just keep your head up,” he said his teammates told him. “It’s an honest mistake. It’s baseball. Stuff happens. You’ll be good for a long time to come.”

How did his teammates and coaches support Orion Kerkering?

Immediately after the error, J.T. Realmuto was the first to reach Kerkering, offering comfort as Dodgers players celebrated nearby. Nick Castellanos quickly joined, sprinting from right field to stand beside the young pitcher as he walked off the field. “That’s instinct,” Castellanos said. “I didn’t even have to think twice about it. That’s where I needed to run to.”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson was waiting on the dugout steps to meet Kerkering, placing an arm around him and offering reassurance. “Just keep his head up,” Thomson told reporters. “He just got caught up in the moment a little bit. Coming down the stretch, he pitched so well for us. I feel for him because he’s putting it all on his shoulders. But we win as a team and we lose as a team.”

Veteran Kyle Schwarber also shared his perspective, drawing on his own postseason struggles: “One play shouldn’t define someone’s career,” Schwarber said. “You have to learn from it and be better for it. I don’t think that’s going to define Kerk’s career at all.”

Their words underscored a team united in support of their young reliever — even in the face of elimination.

What was Orion Kerkering’s performance leading up to the error?

Before the unfortunate ending, Orion Kerkering had been a reliable reliever for the Phillies throughout the 2025 season.

2025 Regular Season Stats:

• Games: 69
• Record: 8–4
• ERA: 3.30
• Strikeouts: 65
• Innings Pitched: 60.0
• Saves: 4
• WHIP: 1.37

Kerkering had emerged as a key bullpen arm, known for his slider and poise in high-leverage situations. In the 2025 postseason, he appeared in four games, recording a 6.75 ERA over 2.2 innings with three strikeouts.

Despite the costly play, Kerkering’s season reflected tremendous growth and promise — a reminder that one mistake doesn’t erase a strong body of work.

Game 4 will be remembered as a brutal lesson in how fine the line is between victory and defeat. For Orion Kerkering, it was a devastating learning experience. His decision to throw home will be debated and replayed, but his willingness to face the consequences head-on, coupled with the unwavering support from his teammates, speaks volumes.

Baseball can be a cruel game. On Thursday night, a young pitcher’s split-second mistake ended a city’s championship dream. But as the Phillies made clear in their quiet, devastated clubhouse, one play does not define a player. For Orion Kerkering, this painful chapter is not the end of his story—it’s the beginning of a comeback.