Imagine the pressure cooker of a playoff game, where one split-second decision could alter the course of history. That's exactly what unfolded for Milwaukee Brewers star Brice Turang in a heart-pounding moment during the NLCS opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers. But here's where it gets controversial: Should he have sacrificed his safety for the sake of the team?
Turang, the Brewers' second baseman, found himself at the plate in the ninth inning with the bases packed and just two outs remaining. Facing Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen, a right-handed pitcher known for his tricky pitches, Turang dodged a sweeping curveball that dipped low and veered toward his ankles, nearly grazing his knee inside the batter's box. This evasive move prevented what could have been an automatic run-scoring hit-by-pitch, which would have knotted the score and forced extra innings.
Instead, on the very next pitch, Turang swung wildly at a blazing 99 mph fastball sailing high out of the strike zone, swinging for the fences but missing entirely. The result? A strikeout that sealed the Dodgers' 2-1 victory and gave them a commanding 1-0 lead in the series. Ouch—that sting of regret must have been intense!
Post-game, Turang didn't mince words, admitting he wished he'd stayed put and absorbed the hit to give his squad a fighting chance. 'It sucks. It is what it is,' he shared in a candid interview (via a tweet from Scott Grodsky). 'Natural reaction to kind of get out of the way, and there’s nothing I can do, I can’t go back. And then I was looking up at the top of the zone for the sinker/sweeper that he’s throwing, and he threw me a four-seam, and it took off. So, it is what it is.' For baseball newcomers, this highlights the mental battle: pitches like Treinen's sweeper—or sinker—can fool even seasoned pros with their late-breaking movement, making split-second judgments crucial.
To set the scene, Treinen entered the game after the Brewers had worn out starter Roki Sasaki, who couldn't close out the final three batters following Blake Snell's masterful eight-inning, one-hit performance. Treinen then issued a walk to William Contreras, filling the bases before fanning Turang to end the threat.
Brewers skipper Pat Murphy stood by his young infielder, explaining that instinct kicked in against a bending breaking ball. 'When the ball is coming towards you, your natural thing — it’s a breaking ball, your natural thing is to do that,' Murphy told MLB.com. 'And I know he was thinking the same thing after the ball passed. It happens. He’ll learn from that situation. But it’s hard. Even if you try to maneuver yourself, it’s hard to get hit by the pitch because it’s so reactionary.' This underscores a key baseball strategy: hit-by-pitches can be a tactical choice in bases-loaded situations, but the human reflex to avoid pain often overrides team plays. And this is the part most people miss: In a sport where contact is king, deliberately taking a pitch for the good of the team is a rare act of bravery, almost like a sacrifice bunt but with potential injury risks.
Looking ahead, the Brewers will turn to ace Freddy Peralta on the mound for Tuesday night's Game 2 showdown against Dodgers phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto, hoping to even the series.
But let's stir the pot a bit: Is it fair to expect players to risk injury for a tactical advantage, or should baseball rules change to discourage such dangerous plays? Some fans might argue it's part of the game's grit, like hockey players dropping gloves for a fight, while others see it as reckless endangerment. What do you think—should Turang have leaned in, or was his instinct spot-on? Share your takes in the comments; I'm curious to hear if you'd do the same in his cleats!
