The 2025 Major League Baseball (MLB) season delivered a series of astonishing moments that left fans and analysts alike scratching their heads. From bizarre plays to unprecedented team performances, this year was filled with instances that seemed too strange to be true.
One of the most remarkable occurrences involved the New York Mets, who, despite being an impressive 21 games over .500 after just 69 games, ultimately missed the playoffs. This marked a historic low; no other team in the National League wild-card era has achieved such a record at that point in the season without securing a postseason spot. According to Baseball Reference, this anomaly has not happened since the introduction of multiple wild-card teams in 2012.
Historic Team Performances
The Cleveland Guardians also had a rollercoaster season. They found themselves 15.5 games behind first place in July and still managed to win their division after a series of unexpected victories. They had even lost ten consecutive games during the same period, making their late-season surge unprecedented in MLB history.
Another notable incident occurred on June 27 when the Tampa Bay Rays suffered a shocking 22-8 defeat against the Baltimore Orioles. Following that loss, the Rays struggled, recording an 8-22 record over their next 30 games.
Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox experienced a season of déjà vu, allowing home runs to players like Mike Yastrzemski and Rafael Devers. Adding to the absurdity, they faced a pitcher named Kody Clemens, who is not a recognized MLB pitcher.
Bizarre Plays and Unlikely Outcomes
The season was replete with bizarre plays. On September 2, Devers turned heads with an astonishing 8-minute, 52-second home run trot that culminated in a benches-clearing brawl. This spectacle was sparked by the pitcher Kyle Freeland, who allowed the home run and became embroiled in the ensuing chaos, resulting in the ejection of two of Devers’ teammates before he even reached home plate.
In a different game, Jeff Hoffman of the Toronto Blue Jays made a mockery of conventional pitching stats on August 10. He pitched two-thirds of an inning, walked five batters, yet somehow did not allow a single run, earning the win in a game that defied statistical logic.
There was also the unforgettable moment involving the Brooklyn Cyclones, who executed a triple play followed by a double play on the first pitch of the tenth inning, marking an extraordinary feat in baseball history.
Hitting the minors, the South Bend Cubs demonstrated the absurdity of baseball with a 7-2-4-2-5-2-3-6 double play, involving six different fielders and three different base runners in a single play.
October Surprises
The postseason brought its own set of strange but true moments. In the Wild Card Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds, pitcher Emmet Sheehan struck out a batter he never actually faced. When Sheehan walked off the mound with a 1-2 count, Alex Vesia entered the game and struck out a pinch hitter. Thus, Vesia got credit for a strikeout of the previous batter, who had already left the field.
Another extraordinary moment in October was the performance of Shohei Ohtani, who, despite a string of poor hitting, received multiple intentional walks during the postseason. This bizarre juxtaposition—one hit alongside more walks than hits—was a first in MLB history.
The Blue Jays also made headlines in the postseason, giving up 20 runs in a two-game stretch against the Dodgers, equaling the total runs allowed by the legendary Yankees teams of 1927 and 1928 in their back-to-back World Series wins.
As the season wraps up, one thing is certain: 2025 will be remembered for its remarkable and absurd moments that kept fans on the edge of their seats. The unpredictability of baseball continues to surprise, reminding everyone why this sport captures the imagination of millions around the globe.
