Orion Kerkering ended the Phillies’ season in the worst possible way in Game 4

The Dodgers ended the Phillies’ season in walkoff fashion, but it wasn’t due to any real heroics from their lineup. Instead, the win was gifted to them when reliever Orion Kerkering completely bungled a batted ball in his direction.

I hate to sound harsh, but Orion Kerkering put forth the worst defensive effort I’ve seen on a baseball diamond:

THE @DODGERS WALK IT OFF AND ARE #NLCS BOUND! pic.twitter.com/7GKwsscWkZ

— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2025

Wow. I think I can comfortably say this is the first time I’ve seen someone shit themselves on live TV.

I genuinely don’t want to pile on the guy, but I kind of have to. This was an absolutely preposterous way to end the season. Despicable, even.

We already knew Kerkering was suspect in high leverage spots, especially with inherited runners. But I didn’t know he’d short-circuit having to field his position in the biggest spot of his life to date.

I’m sitting here talking with my colleague Brian Cass, and we’ve determined that he simply cannot play here anymore. I don’t care about his contract situation; there’s just no way he’s able to come back from this in a Phillies uniform.

He can throw the ball to literally any base and probably get an out. Instead, he threw it into the stands. Look how horrendously off-line this is.

I need a math nerd to calculate just how shitt of a throw that was.

This game could not have ended any worse for the Phillies. Maybe a dropped easy fly ball would be worse, but I can only deal with what’s in front of me. And what’s in front of me is of the devil, no question.

If you’re a baseball fan and you didn’t know the name Orion Kerkering, you certainly will now. It’ll take time to rank this among the worst losses in Philadelphia history, but Orion will be the main character of this tragic story.

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