Si:am | The Many Heroes Of An 18-inning World Series Game 3

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. How precocious did you make it past night? I’ll admit that I went to furniture successful nan mediate of nan 12th inning astatine astir 1 a.m. ET. I’m not proud of it. But I person to get up early to constitute this newsletter. If anything, nan truth that nan crippled lasted different 2 hours validated that decision. 

In today’s SI:AM: 
⚾ Ohtani’s encore
🏈 Chiefs cruise connected MNF
🏀 Florida’s costly roster

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After nan apical of nan seventh inning of Game 3 of nan World Series connected Monday night, I thought I’d beryllium starring this newsletter pinch really Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s hitting, baserunning and defense powered nan Blue Jays to victory. After nan bottommost of nan seventh, I knew I’d beryllium penning alternatively astir Shohei Ohtani’s unstoppable nighttime astatine nan plate. After nan apical of nan 12th, I thought I’d lead pinch Clayton Kershaw escaping a bases-loaded jam successful perchance nan last pitching quality of his career. 

But no, nan communicative of Game 3 was nan sheer magnitude of shot that was played: 18 innings of wacky, thrilling, high-stakes shot that yet ended pinch Freddie Freeman’s walk-off homer. The crippled lasted six hours and 39 minutes, ending conscionable earlier midnight section clip successful Los Angeles. The 2 teams mixed to usage 19 different pitchers, who threw 609 pitches. Six different players came to nan sheet 9 times, including Ohtani, who reached guidelines each 9 times. 

The crippled tied a grounds for nan longest successful postseason history. Four different playoff games person gone 18 innings: Game 4 of nan 2005 NLDS betwixt nan Braves and Astros; Game 2 of nan 2014 NLDS betwixt nan Giants and Nationals; Game 3 of nan 2018 World Series betwixt nan Dodgers and Red Sox; and Game 3 of nan 2022 ALDS betwixt nan Mariners and Astros. By clip elapsed betwixt first transportation and nan last out, it was nan second-longest crippled successful postseason history (trailing only that 2018 World Series game) and tied for nan 12th-longest crippled successful MLB history, regular play included. 

The crippled would person ended a batch sooner if nan Blue Jays hadn’t decided to cower successful fearfulness each clip Ohtani came to nan sheet from nan ninth inning on. Ohtani went 4-for-4 to statesman nan game, pinch 2 doubles and 2 location runs, making him nan first subordinate pinch 4 extra-base hits successful a World Series crippled since 1906. The Jays past proceeded to intentionally locomotion Ohtani each of nan adjacent 4 times he came to nan sheet (including 3 times pinch nan bases empty). His 5th locomotion of nan night, successful nan bottommost of nan 17th, won’t officially spell down arsenic an intentional pass, but it fundamentally was. Toronto’s Brendon Little walked him connected 4 pitches, 3 of which were thrown successful nan dirt. 

Asked if we should expect Toronto to support stepping Ohtani for nan remainder of nan series, Blue Jays head John Schneider had a elemental response: “Yeah.”

Ohtani had nan champion nighttime of anyone connected either team, but nan Dodgers had plentifulness of heroes successful Game 3. There was Tommy Edman’s excellent protect play to propulsion retired Isiah Kiner-Falefa astatine 3rd guidelines successful nan ninth inning. Kershaw entered nan crippled pinch nan bases loaded successful nan 12th and prevailed successful an eight-pitch at-bat against Nathan Lukes to flight nan jam (aided by another bully protect play by Edman). Reliever Will Klein sounded 4 scoreless innings, keeping nan Dodgers successful nan crippled agelong capable for Freeman to go nan eventual leader pinch his 18th-inning walk-off homer. (Freeman, who besides deed a walk-off expansive slam successful nan World Series against nan Yankees past year, is nan first subordinate successful MLB history pinch 2 walk-off homers successful nan World Series.)

Klein was nan astir improbable hero. After being near disconnected nan postseason roster successful nan first 3 rounds, Klein was added to nan World Series roster erstwhile Alex Vesia was unavailable owed to individual reasons. Klein, 25, made his MLB debut pinch nan Royals past play and past was traded 3 times successful a span of 10 months (first to nan Athletics astatine past year’s waste and acquisition deadline, past to nan Mariners complete nan wintertime and yet to nan Dodgers successful June). He sounded 15 ⅓ innings crossed 14 large convention appearances successful nan regular play this year, spending astir of his clip successful Triple A. In 22 MLB appearances earlier this World Series, he’d ne'er thrown much than 36 pitches successful an outing. He’d besides ne'er thrown much than 3 innings successful immoderate of his 195 appearances successful nan minors. But he threw 72 pitches crossed his 4 innings of activity successful nan biggest crippled of his life. 

“You don’t ever scheme connected playing 18 innings, and you conscionable benignant of inquire much from nan player,” manager Dave Roberts said of Klein. “He delivered. He threw astir apt 3 times arsenic overmuch arsenic he’s ever thrown earlier and—certainly pinch nan adrenaline connected this stage—what he did was incredible.”

The mobility now is really nan marathon crippled will effect nan remainder of nan series. Monday night’s crippled was nan first of 3 successful a statement successful Los Angeles. Both teams now person exhausted bullpens pinch nary disconnected time to springiness their relievers a rest. The business is particularly dire for nan Blue Jays, who now way 2–1 successful nan bid and person to look Ohtani arsenic nan starting pitcher successful Game 4. The Jays person to triumph astatine slightest 1 of nan adjacent 2 games to guarantee nan bid returns to Toronto connected Friday. Their likelihood will beryllium a batch amended if they support nan adjacent 2 games to nan modular 9 innings. 

The champion of Sports Illustrated

Shohei Ohtani and nan Dodgers will beryllium backmost connected nan section conscionable 17 hours aft their thrilling triumph complete nan Blue Jays to effort to return a commanding 3–1 lead successful nan series. / Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

… plays from an unforgettable Game 3: 
5. A 99 mph throw by Addison Barger to forestall a tally from scoring successful nan third. 
4. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s excellent baserunning to people nan go-ahead tally from first guidelines successful nan seventh. 
3. Shohei Ohtani’s second homer of nan night to necktie nan crippled backmost up successful nan bottommost of nan seventh. 
2. Tommy Edman’s sliding extremity and beardown throw to get Isiah Kiner-Falefa astatine 3rd successful nan apical of nan ninth. 
1. Freddie Freeman’s walk-off homer to yet extremity it conscionable earlier midnight.