The Dodgers were able to secure early control of the National League Championship Series on Monday by hanging on for a 2-1 victory over the Brewers in Game 1. Things came down to one final at-bat in the ninth inning and the outcome may have swung on Brice Turang's instinctual move to avoid getting hit by a pitch.
Playoff baseball is about as tense of a proposition in existence but the series opener was even more of a high-wire act as every pitch carried the possibility to determine victory and defeat. L.A. was ultimately able to secure the win and celebrate in front of their Brewers' hosts—a celebration that likely included a palpable sense of relief.
TNT's Curtis Granderson asked Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman about the emotions of the moment shortly after the final out was recorded.
"If you're not exhausted at the end of every playoff game, you've left something in the tank," Freeman observed.
“If you’re not exhausted at the end of every Playoff game, you’ve left something in the tank.” 🫡
— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) October 14, 2025
Freddie Freeman talks about Postseason intensity with @cgrand3 after Dodgers squeezed out a win in Game 1 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/e9I5bBX4aA
With all but four baseball teams already home for the winter, the pressure to avoid joining them on vacation is immense. Not just on the body, which has been playing for more than seven months at this point, but the mind.
Freeman's Dodgers and the Brewers have another opportunity to fell good and tired in Game 2 on Tuesday night.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Freddie Freeman Reveals Why Being Exhausted During Playoff Games is a Good Thing.
