In a game already destined for October lore, the Toronto Blue Jays find themselves staring up from a 2-1 deficit in the World Series after an 18-inning marathon loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a game that had everything: epic pitching duels, clutch hitting, and the kind of drama that keeps fans glued to their screens deep into the night. But in a contest filled with moments that will be remembered for years, one decision in the 10th inning may haunt the Blue Jays far longer than the loss itself.
A Perfect Relay Meets a Costly Send
That decision belonged to third base coach Carlos Febles.
Here’s the situation: tied game, top of the 10th, Davis Schneider on first base. Nathan Lukes sends a rocket slicing down the right field line, the kind of shot that screams potential go-ahead run. The ball skitters to the wall. Schneider turns on the jets and tears around second. The stadium holds its breath. Febles waves him home.
And just like that, the play collapses.
Teoscar Hernández fires a laser to Tommy Edman, who wheels and delivers a strike to the plate. Schneider is out by a mile. The inning is over. The Blue Jays’ chance to seize control of the game with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. waiting in the on-deck circle evaporates in a cloud of dust and frustration.
A Moment That Defied Baseball Logic
From a strategic standpoint, the decision was puzzling. Schneider was just touching third when Edman had the ball. With two outs and Guerrero due up, the risk/reward calculation simply didn’t favor that send. Yes, it’s easy to second-guess after the fact—but this one doesn’t require a slow-motion replay to see what went wrong.
Had Schneider been held, the Jays would’ve had runners on second and third with two outs. The Dodgers may have walked Guerrero to load the bases, but even that scenario beats running into the third out. Baseball is a game of inches, but that gap between second and home was measured in yards—and cold, hard logic.
Dodgers Take the Edge, Blue Jays Face the Climb
And yet, the missed opportunity doesn’t exist in isolation. It stands in sharp contrast to what came next: Shohei Ohtani continuing to build his postseason legend, and Freddie Freeman delivering the final blow with a towering home run in the 18th.
Toronto battled. The pitching staff emptied the tank. The lineup fought through elite arms. But sometimes, it’s not the hits you get—it’s the outs you give away. And this one, delivered by an overzealous arm at third, might be the kind that echoes for years.
Game 4 now looms like a mountain. The Blue Jays must climb it with urgency and discipline—or risk watching this series slip away, one painful moment at a time.
