Imagine this: a baseball game teetering on the edge, bases loaded, and a fly ball soaring towards the outfield. It’s the kind of moment that can make or break a team’s momentum. But what unfolded at American Family Field during Game 1 of the National League Championship Series was nothing short of jaw-dropping—a chaotic double play that left players, fans, and even the umpires scratching their heads. And this is the part most people miss: it wasn’t just about the play itself, but the split-second decisions and bizarre twists that turned a potential Dodgers rally into a Brewers triumph.
Sal Frelick, the Brewers’ center fielder, found himself at the heart of the action. With Max Muncy’s 1-0 cutter rocketing toward deep center field, Frelick sprinted back, leaped, and nearly made a spectacular catch. The ball grazed his glove, ricocheted off the padded wall, and landed back in his mitt. But here’s where it gets controversial: did he catch it on the fly, or was it a deflection? Left-field umpire Chad Fairchild signaled safe, indicating no catch, but the play was far from over.
As the ball bounced off the wall, Frelick fired it to shortstop Joey Ortiz, who relayed it to catcher William Contreras at home plate. Meanwhile, Dodgers runner Teoscar Hernández hesitated on third base, stutter-stepping before heading home. Contreras tagged the plate for the second out. But the chaos didn’t stop there. Contreras, spotting the confusion on the basepaths, jogged to third base and tagged it to force out Will Smith, ending the inning in a bizarre 8-6-2 double play.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts rushed out for clarification, and the umpires huddled to sort out the sequence. Despite the Dodgers challenging both force plays, the rulings stood. What’s even more mind-boggling? Muncy’s 104 mph fly ball, which would’ve been a home run in nine other ballparks, was ruled a fielder’s choice groundout due to the forced outs. With a projected distance of 404 feet, it became the second-longest ball resulting in a double play in Statcast history (since 2015).
But here’s the real question: Was this a stroke of genius by the Brewers or a missed opportunity for the Dodgers? Did Frelick’s near-catch and Contreras’ quick thinking deserve more credit, or should the Dodgers have capitalized on the confusion? Let’s hear your thoughts—was this play a masterpiece of defensive strategy or a lucky break for Milwaukee? Sound off in the comments!
