Dodgers fans, you and I both have had our fair share of hard times in sports and life. In the franchise's storied history, there have been moments that have caused heartache and pain.
Some have been well noted; others not so much. On Thursday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers were the recipients of a gift from Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering. His errant throw to home plate allowed the winning run to score in a 2-1, 11-inning thriller. The Dodgers now go on to the National League Championship Series.
For Phillies fans, they might want to send Kerkering damning messages on the hellscape known as social media.
Look at the featured image for this opinion piece (and yes, I realize this is Dodgers Roundtable but this story has two pieces - the Dodgers and Kerkering). See, Kerkering has his head in his hands. It's like a nightmare that he will see over and over again in his dreams.
The baseball. Picking it up. Looking at going home with the throw instead of first base. "What if?" will be the question most on his mind.
But can we humanize Kerkering for a minute? Kerkering is a 24-year-old right-hander who is in his third season with the Phillies. He finished the 2025 MLB season with an 8-4 record with a 3.30 ERA. He pitched in 69 games and recorded four saves. Kerkering struck out 45 hitters while walking only 27.
That's pretty damn good.
Phillies fans don't want to hear about that right now. Neither do Dodgers fans, to be honest.
To the victor goes the spoils. To the losers? Tears.
This young man has an entire career ahead of him. He's only 24, for Christ's sakes.
Of course, his big error will be replayed over and over again on MLB Network, ESPN, Fox Sports, and any other sports-related social media platform that will air it.
This moment will be one that everyone from Stephen A. Smith to Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo will comment on during their respective shows on SiriusXM.
Don't leave out the Philly faithful who probably couldn't wait to call their radio stations and air their grievances. It was a bad Thursday night for Philly sports as the Philadelphia Eagles, the defending Super Bowl champs, were boat-raced by the New York Giants 34-17.
Yet, there is Kerkering.
Do you know what he did after the game? He didn't run away from the gaggle of reporters waiting to get his reaction. Oh no, this 24-year-old man stood up there and answered the questions.
His Phillies teammates made sure that Kerkering knew that they loved and cared about him, too. They were there in support of their teammate. It meant a lot to Kerkering, whose emotions were still probably raw when sitting down in front of national reporters and cameras whirring away.
"It means a lot," said Kerkering, who -- with his eyes still swollen -- answered every question about the play and the aftermath, according to Phillies reporter Paul Casella of MLB.com. "It shows they care a lot. Just means everything, for sure."
What else did his teammates say? "Just keep your head up," Kerkering said. "It's an honest mistake. It's baseball. [Stuff] happens. Just keep your head up, you'll be good for a long time to come. Stuff like it's not my fault kind of -- had opportunities to score. Just keep your head up."
Yes, the Phillies did have opportunities to score runs.
After the errant play had happened and the Dodgers players were on the field, Phillies manager Rob Thomson made a beeline for his pitcher.
"Just keep his head up," Thomson said when asked what he said to Kerkering. "He just got caught up in the moment a little bit. … I feel for him because he's putting it all on his shoulders. But we win as a team and we lose as a team."
Nick Castellanos, a veteran of the postseason wars with the Phillies, also made sure his pitcher knew that he was not really alone. Castellanos made the final out in the 2022 World Series against the Houston Astros at then-Minute Maid Park. Castellanos recalled that moment in his career on Thursday night.
"When I made the last out in '22 of the World Series, Paco waited for me to walk off the field," Castellanos said of first-base coach Paco Figueroa. "And I thought that was awesome."
Castellanos saw what happened from right field and sprinted toward Kerkering.
"That's second nature. That's instinct," Castellanos said about the play. "I understand what he's feeling. Not the exact emotions, but I can see them. I didn't even have to think twice about it, that's where I needed to run to."
Is Orion Kerkering really the loneliest man in baseball? Not really. He has a world of teammates surrounding him with support and love.
Don't you and I wish that happened in our lives when things went wrong? You better believe it.
I'd keep your eyes on Orion Kerkering next season. He might be the biggest comeback story in the 2026 MLB season.
At least he's not alone in a world of loneliness.