Baserunning blunder by JT Realmuto kills Phillies rally in 2-1 loss to Dodgers with disastrous game-ending double play

July 22, 2026 - 06:12

The Philadelphia Phillies had a golden opportunity to steal a win in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers. With runners on second and third and just one out, the stage was set for a walk-off victory. Instead, a costly baserunning mistake by catcher J.T. Realmuto turned a potential hero moment into a disastrous game-ending double play, sealing a 2-1 loss.

The play unfolded when the Phillies had the tying run on third and the winning run on second. Realmuto hit a sharp ground ball to shortstop. The Dodgers infield, expecting a possible squeeze play, was playing in. Realmuto, thinking the ball might get through, hesitated between first and second. The shortstop fielded the ball cleanly and fired to second base for the force out. The second baseman then quickly threw to first, catching Realmuto in a rundown. But the real damage was done when the runner from third base, thinking the ball was through the infield, broke for home. He was caught in a rundown himself, and the tag was applied for the final out.

The sequence left the Phillies stunned. Instead of celebrating a walk-off win, they were left to explain a baserunning blunder that killed a rally in the most deflating way possible. The loss dropped the Phillies a game behind the Dodgers in the standings and highlighted a lack of situational awareness at a critical moment. Manager Rob Thomson could only shake his head after the game, noting that the team had the right players in the right spots, but the execution simply was not there. For Realmuto, it was a moment he will want to forget, but one that will likely be replayed as a painful lesson in the importance of running the bases with a clear head.