Effectively Wild Episode 2396: "Best. Postseason. Ever?"

Podcast: Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast
Hosts: Ben Lindbergh (The Ringer), Meg Rowley (FanGraphs)
Date: November 4, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode is a jubilant, in-depth debrief of an all-time great World Series and postseason, culminating in a dramatic Game 7 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays. Ben and Meg set aside contrarian takes to fully revel in what they describe as one of the best baseball viewing experiences of their lives, breaking down the nail-biting moments, key players, odd managerial decisions, and the micro-dramas that made this October so special.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Game 7 — A Classic Among Classics

• Marathon, Not a Slog:

  • The game was tense but never felt tiresome: "It contained all of the best 'Oh my God, we’re in extras' kind of moments." (Meg, 02:46)
  • Stakes were sky-high; never a sense of inevitability [04:10–05:10].

• No Contrarianism, Just Awe:

  • “If you were expecting some contrarian take from Effectively Wild... I think we're probably gonna marvel as well. It really was something.” (Ben, 01:06)

• Statistical Greatness:

  • Listener and stathead Michael Mountain calculated this as the #1 game, series, and postseason by cumulative change in championship win probability added (CWPA): "[It was] number one in all of those categories. Number one game, number one series, number one postseason." (Ben, 05:51)

• So Close, So Uncertain:

  • The outcome was undetermined until the final out—Alejandro Kirk’s foot hitting the bag a hair too late: “That was it. That was when I figured, okay, I guess the Blue Jays are done, because the game is actually over now.” (Ben, 04:53)

2. Turning Points and Dramatic Plays

• Miguel Rojas: Unlikely Hero

  • Rojas hit a shocking game-tying home run in the 9th off Jeff Hoffman—a right-on-right matchup he’s mastered only four times in his MLB career: “It was the fourth right-on-right homer off a slider he’d hit in his whole career. It was a pretty low probability event.” (Ben, 17:52)
  • Rojas played hurt after a rib injury suffered celebrating Game 6, loaded up on painkillers, and was almost replaced on the roster: "He was very much doubtful for that game... but took a lot of meds and tested out the rib." (Ben, 18:28)

• The Bases-Loaded, Game-Saving Double Play

  • 9th inning, tie game, bases loaded, Blue Jays with an 83.2% win expectancy. But:
    • Dalton Varsho grounds into a fielder’s choice.
    • Isaiah Kiner-Falefa (IKF) out at home, after minimal secondary lead and questionable feet-first slide.
    • Analyst consensus: Small adjustments (better lead, running through the base, or sliding head-first) could’ve sent Toronto to a walk-off win. “I do feel confident that is true... and I think it's true across all three of those potential scenarios.” (Meg, 28:03)
    • Ben: "There’s no way that he would not have been safe if he had started any closer." (29:09)

• Andy Pages' Clutch 10th-Inning Catch

  • Prevented Ernie Clement’s potential walk-off. Kiké Hernández left sprawling, convinced the Jays had won: “He thought the ball had fallen and stayed on the ground because he thought the Dodgers just lost the World Series.” (Ben, 46:46)

• The Absence of Umpire/Replay or Managerial Controversy

  • “I was also happy that at least in Game 7, there wasn’t a super consequential umpire mistake... this was the last major league game ever without some ABS assistance, presumably...” (Ben, 52:32)
  • Despite heavy scrutiny, no managerial move by John Schneider or Dave Roberts stuck out as ‘the reason’ for the loss/win.

3. The Characters Who Defined the Game and Postseason

• Shohei Ohtani: Not the Main Character for Once

  • Ohtani started Game 7 on short rest, was shakier and left early after giving up a homer to Bo Bichette. He “was not the Ohtani game,” but “we got plenty of Ohtani games this October.” (Ben & Meg, 09:59–10:20)

• Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Postseason Legend

  • Entered on zero rest, threw six innings and 96 pitches the night before (!), but gutted out critical late innings relief. "We're going to talk about [Yamamoto] coming in on no rest... for a long, long time." (Meg, 12:05)

• Will Smith & Others Step Up

  • Smith delivered crucial hits and was part of key defensive plays, including the game-ending double play.
  • Multiple players, not just superstars, authored their “moment” in the limelight.

• Toronto’s Bittersweet Brilliance:

  • Vlad Guerrero Jr.: Monster postseason, nearly single-handedly willed Toronto to the crown. “What more could he possibly have done?” (Meg, 80:32)
  • Ernie Clement: Record 30 postseason hits, continued a team-wide breakout that nearly completed the worst-to-first story.
  • Bo Bichette and George Springer: Heroic but physically compromised, influencing late-game strategy.

4. Tiny Margins, Epic Stakes

• Game of Inches—Literally:

  • Multiple web gems (notably by Varsho, Vlad, Muncy), near-misses, and bounces decided by a “skosh.”
  • “As I said, game of inch. Inches is too much.” (Ben, 29:28)
  • The ground rule double “wall wedgie” in Game 6 nearly upended the series.

• Blue Jays' Baserunning Woes as Difference-Maker

  • Baserunning issues haunted the Jays all postseason, sometimes attributable to poor foot speed, often to decision-making and risk aversion.

• Would You Rather Win on a Replay Review?

  • Philosophical question raised: Would Jays fans want a title if the World Series ended on a review overturn? The panel leans “no,” preferring on-field resolution. “I’m glad for baseball... that we did not get this World Series decided on a replay overturn.” (Ben, 30:06)

5. Statistical and Historical Context

• Most Entertaining Postseason Ever?

  • By statistical volatility, decisiveness of games/series, and sheer drama, it’s plausible: “From the Division Series on, or the Championship Series on, this was still number one.” (Ben, 06:48)

• Dodgers’ Greatness, but Not Without Fortune

  • Despite the Dodgers being favorites and a juggernaut, Toronto nearly outplayed them: “The Dodgers had a negative 8 run differential in this series, which is tied for the second worst by a World Series winner...” (Ben, 79:44)
  • Dodgers’ dynasty: “Three [titles] in six years, five pennants in nine years... 101.5 wins per 162.” (Ben, 99:51)

6. The New Trends?

• Starters in Bulk Out of the Pen
  • Both clubs relied heavily on regular season starting pitchers for postseason relief—echoes of 2023/2024 trends, but on steroids.
  • “Can we just not use our bullpen? And it turns out, yeah, they could do that too.” (Ben, 62:27)
  • Yamamoto’s training regimen (and its possible influence on future pitcher development) highlighted.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• "What a game, what a series, what a postseason." (Ben, 01:01)
• “That was just among the best baseball spectating experiences of my life.” (Ben, 01:06)
• “This was the first time ever that a World Series or a winner take all postseason game ended on a double play with the winning run on base.” (Ben, 05:10)
• “Miguel Rojas… he was all hopped up on painkillers and I guess they worked, you know, I guess they worked.” (Ben, 19:23)
• "There’s no way that he [IKF] would not have been safe if he had started any closer." (Ben, 29:09)
• “Can you imagine if… one of the greatest games and one of the greatest series… ends because they’re slowing down super slow mo, and they’re like, ‘Oh, Will Smith’s toe was…just barely off’…I’m glad for baseball…that we did not get this World Series decided on a replay overturn.” (Ben, 30:06)
• “He [Vlad Jr.] batted almost 400, slugged almost 800, he on-based almost 500…what more could he possibly have done?” (Meg, 80:45)
• “If this is baseball being broken, it’s still pretty darn good, you know, because we had a whole lot of fun and the sport seems to be thriving.” (Meg, 96:33)

Important Timestamps

• Opening Marveling at Postseason: 01:01–03:35
• First Deep Dive on Game 7’s Stakes: 03:51–06:07
• CWPA / “Statistically Best” Postseason: 05:51–06:48
• Miguel Rojas's 9th Inning Heroics/Injury Recap: 17:52–19:23
• Blue Jays’ Basrunning Double Play Breakdown: 24:38–29:42
• Replay Review Philosophy: 30:06–34:23
• Yamamoto’s Legendary Relief Appearance: 12:05, 56:05–60:34
• Vlad Jr. & Clement’s Postseason Performance: 80:40–82:32
• Dodgers Dynasty Discussion: 99:21–100:09
• Postseason/Season Takeaways & “If This is Broken, It’s Still Good” 96:33–98:55

Tone & Style

• Conversational, Warm, Self-Deprecating: Ben and Meg laugh at their own nerdiness and pedantry, poke gentle fun at broadcasters (Smoltz), and issue lighthearted asides about baseball idioms (43:58, “rally in the first inning”).
• Deeply Informed, Data-Driven: Frequent references to stathead metrics, historical precedents, and prior research.
• Human, Empathetic: Particularly in discussing the bittersweet agony for Blue Jays fans and the personal arc of stars and journeymen alike.

Final Thoughts

This episode captures Effectively Wild at its best: profound appreciation for baseball's chaos and beauty, respect for both winning and heartbreak, keen eye for unlikely heroes and costly mistakes, and joy in both stats and story. The Dodgers' “repeat” and the remarkable Blue Jays run made for a World Series — and a postseason — that felt new, vibrant, and almost impossibly dramatic.

Highlighted Memorable Moment

“If this is baseball being broken, it's still pretty darn good, you know, because we had a whole lot of fun and the sport seems to be thriving... It was a good postseason.” (Meg, 96:33)

Listen to this Episode If You Want:

• A play-by-play and emotional blow-by-blow of an epic Game 7 (and why every pitch, every bounce truly mattered)
• To appreciate the statistical and narrative arguments for "Best. Postseason. Ever?"
• To understand how both teams constructed their improbable/heroic runs, and how randomness reigns
• To feel like you watched — and felt — all 11 innings, all 53 playoff games, alongside two of baseball's smartest, most passionate fans

[For further details, see FanGraphs for links and resources referenced throughout.]