Blood, Steals & Redemption: Realmuto Ends Dodgers’ Perfect Run in Dramatic Philly Finish

Philadelphia, PA

It had everything—a bleeding thumb, a World Series rematch vibe, a sellout crowd on its feet, and a nail-biting finish that sent shockwaves through the MLB world.

J.T. Realmuto didn’t plan on being the hero. In fact, he didn’t even realize he was bleeding until he saw blood on the baseballs he was tossing back to the mound in the ninth. But with his thumb glued shut like a war veteran taping up for one last battle, the Phillies’ ironman delivered a performance straight out of a baseball fairy tale—and the Dodgers? Their dream start just hit a Philly wall.

With Hollywood royalty Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts breathing down his neck, Realmuto pulled off a masterclass in clutch. First, he gunned down Ohtani in the eighth to snap his jaw-dropping 38-game stolen base streak. Then he did it again—this time ending the game by cutting down pinch-runner Chris Taylor at second in a dramatic, review-assisted final play. The crowd erupted, the city roared, and the Dodgers tasted their first loss of the 2025 season.

“You never forget moments like this,” Realmuto said, grinning through the sting of the glue on his thumb. “But yeah, I’ll definitely remind Hunter [Wendelstedt] he made us wait for that call.”

And it wasn’t just Realmuto carrying the night. Phillies ace Jesús Luzardo was locked in, tossing seven shutout innings, striking out eight, and making the defending champs look like spring training hopefuls. His 19 strikeouts over two starts now sit behind only Vince Velasquez and Jim Bunning in franchise history. Philly may have found its new left-handed legend.

But the ninth inning brought the drama. Phillies closer Jordan Romano looked shaky, walking Betts and giving up a two-run bomb to Tommy Edman. Suddenly, it was 3-2, the stadium tight with tension, and Taylor flashing speed at first.

Then came the throw. A laser from Realmuto to Trea Turner. Called safe. Fans held their breath. Replay said otherwise. Out. Game over.

The last time the Phillies ended a game with a caught stealing? Over a decade ago in 2012. And ending one with a catcher nailing the runner? 2011. Realmuto just brought back memories—and made new ones.

“Realmuto’s a beast,” Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman admitted. “Maybe we just picked the wrong moments to run.”

Wrong moment or not, it made for the right kind of chaos in Philly.

Some say it’s too early to care in April. But when the Dodgers come to town and leave with their first L, and when your catcher throws darts with a bleeding thumb? That’s not just baseball—that’s legacy.