# MLB: 2025 Postseason

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Tags:** baseball-mlb\
**Created:** [September 29, 2025, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478 "2025-09-29T12:49:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 56

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**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1101 "2025-11-02T18:14:37Z")

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I agree. It reminded me of when the girls’ softball team at Central Washington University [carried their opponent around the bases after a home run.](https://youtu.be/xVlKtI7yd_s?si=dCWw1eD1xGqgvK9T) Sara Tucholsky hit her first career home run, and tore a ligament in her knee at first base. Her teammates couldn’t touch her (per the rules), and she couldn’t continue on her bad leg. So the opposing team carried her around the bases, allowing her to touch each one.

Good sportsmanship always deserves to be recognized.

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**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1102 "2025-11-02T19:07:42Z")

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> [@silenus](#):
>
> Too soon to start talking about a three-peat?

There was lots of talk in Toronto about a three-peat in 1994 after back-to-back World Series championships in 92 and 93. The Jays didn’t even make the postseason that year.

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**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1103 "2025-11-02T19:41:31Z")

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Dumb question, but are MLB players required to wear caps? ISTM that when one is indoors, or in an environment with no sunlight, that the cap visors are of no use in blocking out sun glare but could somewhat obstruct visibility when trying to make difficult fly-ball catches. I had this thought when watching Kike Hernandez try to track down that fly ball in the bottom of the 9th.

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**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1104 "2025-11-02T19:49:42Z")

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As far as I can tell, there is no specific rule that requires a cap. However, the official rules state:

“No player whose uniform does not conform to that of his teammates shall be permitted to participate in a game.”

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1105 "2025-11-02T21:29:49Z")

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[Moderating]  
On reading through the rest of the thread, it appears that I misunderstood @fachverwirrt 's post. The warning is rescinded.

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**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1106 "2025-11-02T21:39:07Z")

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Major league ballparks use some pretty bright lights. They don’t play in the dark you know.

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**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1107 "2025-11-02T23:10:56Z")

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> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> Those matchups are inherently unstable and **lead to blowouts one way or the other, or to low-scoring almost-ties**. Depends on which side is hot(ter) on any given night.

Okay but that describes just about every possible game outcome, in general, so it’s not saying much. The only other possible outcome is high scoring close games like 15-13.

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**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1108 "2025-11-02T23:12:10Z")

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> [@silenus](#):
>
> Too soon to start talking about a three-peat?

I don’t think so. That’s a helluva team there.

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**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1109 "2025-11-02T23:45:22Z")

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Forgive me for talking about mod decisions outside of ATMB, but class move @Chronos.

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**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1110 "2025-11-03T00:55:27Z")

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> [@silenus](#):
>
> Too soon to start talking about a three-peat? 😛

I’d rather not, cause it’s boring. But if it has to be: at least it’s not the Yankees.

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**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1111 "2025-11-03T02:20:50Z")

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Exactly. I want them to lose exclusivity of a threepeat, and having the Dodgers do it would just rub it in a little bit more.

Only Dodgers up for free agency next year are Muncy and some relievers, I think. And K. Hernandez, of course.

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1112 "2025-11-03T02:23:33Z")

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> [@wolfpup](#):
>
> There was lots of talk in Toronto about a three-peat in 1994 after back-to-back World Series championships in 92 and 93. The Jays didn’t even make the postseason that year.

Well, no one did.

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**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1113 "2025-11-03T02:34:26Z")

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Ah yes, the players’ strike! I had forgotten. Still, IIRC the Jays had a pretty bad showing for at least half a dozen seasons after that.

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**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1114 "2025-11-03T03:38:56Z")

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Tough article.

> **[Blue Jays reflect on cruel Game 7 loss to Dodgers: ‘I cost everybody a World...](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/nov/02/blue-jays-reflect-on-cruel-game-7-loss-to-dodgers-i-cost-everybody-a-world-series)**
>
> The Toronto Blue Jays have reflected on their agonizing loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series

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**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1115 "2025-11-03T06:22:49Z")

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> [@Coriolanus](#):
>
> Lots of times. Yet it was like 2002 when the Yankees won after midnight October 31 I think on a Jeter home run, and Steinbrenner cleverly named Jeter “Mr. November”

Ditto for game 3 in 2001. Thanks to a delayed start due to 9/11 it was the first time the WS extended to November. The board put up, _Welcome to November baseball._

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**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1116 "2025-11-03T07:08:44Z")

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Hoffman shouldn’t feel too bad. Multiple Jays had responsibility and the Dodgers had an insane amount of luck go their way.

The Jay who probably does feel the most burden is Kiner-Falefa. If he had just taken an extra 1-2 feet of lead or run instead of sliding, he probably scores the winning walkoff run.

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**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1117 "2025-11-03T14:23:07Z")

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> [@Velocity](#):
>
> If he had just taken an extra 1-2 feet of lead or run instead of sliding, he probably scores the winning walkoff run.

This was my thinking too (and I probably even said so upthread), but I have read a few other comments from MLB players and coaches that he did the right thing (at least with the leadoff). They pointed out that the number one priority is to not get doubled off and end the game. So you have to be able to get back to the bag on a line drive to the 3B. Which was basically where he was stationed.

Now, the bad jump and sliding instead of running is on him, to be sure. But, in his defense (sort of), he’s really fricken slow and pretty much always has been. You’d like to think they had a faster player available to run in such a critical moment, but I guess not.

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**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1118 "2025-11-03T14:37:42Z")

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> [@Jas09](#):
>
> You’d like to think they had a faster player available to run in such a critical moment, but I guess not.

I knew nothing about Kiner-Falefa before this series, but middle infielders, as a rule, are usually above-average speed-wise. But not this guy, apparently.

Replacing Bichette with a pinch-runner was certainly the correct move. But in looking at the Blue Jays world series [roster](https://www.mlb.com/news/blue-jays-world-series-2025-roster), it looks like the only other non-pitchers available at the time were first baseman Ty France and backup catcher Tyler Heineman.

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**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1119 "2025-11-03T15:24:19Z")

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It is basically the opposite situation of the Barger play. Barger gets killed because he took a lead and Kiner-Falefa gets killed because he didn’t. We really like to blame players for outcomes.

I think a players number 1 priority should be to maximize their chances of scoring, and sometimes that does involve a bit of risk, which is to say I think Barger’s play was fine, but Kiner-Falefa should have been more aggressive.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-2025-postseason/1023478/1120 "2025-11-03T15:43:35Z")

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> [@Hawkeyeop](#):
>
> Barger gets killed because he took a lead

No, Barger gets killed because he strayed too far from the bag on a line drive that may or may not fall for a hit. The runner’s primary responsibility is to make sure that he doesn’t make an out, PARTICULARLY when he’s carrying the tying run in the bottom of the ninth.

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