The 2025 National League Championship Series did not bore good results for the Milwaukee Brewers as they were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but a standout moment from the series is logged in the archives of Major League Baseball postseason history.  

In Game 1 of the NLCS, Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy sent a ball flying to center field with the bases loaded in the top of the fourth inning. It looked as if it would be a grand slam for the Dodgers to blow open a game that had been scoreless to that point. But Milwaukee outfielder Sal Frelick had other plans.  

Frelick followed Muncy’s hit to the warning track and leapt up the center field wall. He was able to tip the ball back to himself to make the catch. From there, he fired the ball to cutoff man Joey Ortiz, who threw out Teoscar Hernández at home plate. 

The moment led to mass confusion. With one out on the board at the time of the play, Frelick’s catch and Ortiz’s throw at home caused an ending-inning double play. Recently, Frelick talked about his perspective of the wild moment in an appearance with ESPN Milwaukee.  

“I remember going back and I'm like, ‘All right, this, this is gonna have a chance to get out,’” Frelick said. “I got to, you know, I got to take this, I got to take this back. I just remember jumping up, ball hit my glove, then I hit the wall. And then I looked up and the ball was just kind of in midair. So, I grabbed it. 

"And [my] initial thought, I'm like, ‘Alright, out, caught it,’" Frelick said. "Let's get this ball in as quick as I can to the cut, because I thought maybe there were no outs, I thought they would maybe tag from first base, somebody was tagging.” 

When Frelick launched the ball to Ortiz, he realized Hernández was running back to third base.  

“Threw it to Joey," Frelick said. "And I remember seeing Teoscar run back to third. And I'm like, ‘Oh, he must have thought it was a homer and was just running home.’ And then I realized that it was caught and went back. So, I'm like, we're going to have a chance at home here.  

“And when Joey threw it home, Contreras caught it but didn't tag him," Frelick said. "So, I'm like, why didn't he tag him? Like, or at least attempt to tag.” 

What happened next became the cause of confusion for Frelick. 

“Because I'm like, it's not a forced play," Frelick continued. "Like, he has to tag him. Ump signals out. So, now I'm starting to get confused. And then Contreras just like walks to third. And now I'm just like, ‘What is going on?’ I had no clue.” 

Frelick remained in center field with his hands in the air and a muddled expression, looking for an answer in a replay that was not showing. In the end, he praised the umpires for a crucial call. 

“I'm trying to watch the replay. They're not showing it on the board. And biggest credit of that whole play is definitely to the umpires who had it 1,000% right,” Frelick said. “Even a lesson I didn't know is, you know, if it hits an outfielder's glove and you're tagging from third, you can run.  

“You don't have to wait for them to get possession of it," Frelick continued. "You know, like they can't just pat it up and down. And you can't go until they grab it. As soon as it touches their glove, you can tag. So, just a weird play.” 

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