Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang’s baseball instincts may have betrayed him late in Monday’s NLCS Game 1 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Brewers were threatening to steal Game 1 after getting shut out by Dodgers starter Blake Snell through eight innings at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wis. A sacrifice fly from Jackson Chourio scored the Brewers’ first run, which cut the Dodgers’ lead to 2-1.
Turang had the bases loaded with two outs against Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen after back-to-back walks drawn by Christian Yelich and William Contreras. Treinen’s 2-1 pitch, an 85-mph sweeper, spun far left toward the left-handed-hitting Turang. But instead of letting himself get hit by the pitch, Turang dodged it.
Brice Turang avoids a pitch that would've tied the game and then swings at a pitch way out of the zone to end it pic.twitter.com/JkJYyASY5D
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 14, 2025
Turang ended up striking out wildly on the next pitch, a 95-mph fastball that flew well above the zone.
Several fans called Turang out for not letting the pitch hit him. A hit-by-pitch would have tied the game up and put even more pressure on a Dodgers bullpen that has been shaky all year.
Brice Turang leaning out the way of Ball 2 as the tying run is one of the biggest loser moves I’ve ever seen on a baseball field
— Phill (@MeekPhill_) October 14, 2025
BRICE TURANG WHY'D YOU MOVE
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) October 14, 2025
Brice Turang may have not gotten a hit there, but he also avoided a bruised thigh
— nugget chef (@jayhaykid) October 14, 2025
Brice Turang isn’t willing to put his body on the line for his team. Dude doesn’t understand… pic.twitter.com/sQPLg4EgAO
— Project Parlay (@Project_Parlay_) October 14, 2025
While Turang could have taken one for the team by standing still, it’s hard to blame him completely for getting out of the way.
Baseball players have evaded hundreds, if not thousands, of inside pitches throughout their careers since they were Little Leaguers. Rewiring the brain to get intentionally hit during a pressure-packed playoff moment is much easier said than done.
The Brewers had exactly three players left on base throughout Monday’s 2-1 Dodgers win. All were stranded after Turang’s game-ending strikeout.
