The Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen delivered one of the most heroic efforts in postseason history during their 18-inning win in Game 3 of the 2025 World Series—and no one expressed that better than starter Blake Snell.
Snell, watching from the dugout after his rough Game 1 outing, was floored by what he saw from his teammates late in the night, as The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya shared the lefty’s viral quote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
“Our last two guys down in the bullpen were throwing 100. Like, what?”
The two-time Cy Young Award winner’s perspective carried weight—not just as a teammate, but as someone who knows exactly what elite pitching looks like. His disbelief underscored how the bullpen’s grit elevated them from depth options to undeniable World Series difference-makers.
The reaction from Snell wasn’t just about radar gun readings. It reflected genuine admiration for a bullpen that entered October as a postseason question mark—but answered the biggest call of the season in dominant fashion. After his own sixth-inning struggles helped trigger a Game 1 collapse, Game 3 showed just how far the unit had come.
The performance from the Dodgers bullpen was nothing short of elite. They covered 13 1/3 innings, allowed just one earned run, and saw nine different arms step up under immense pressure. Reliever Will Klein pitched the final four frames on 72 pitches, still throwing hard deep into the 18th inning. Veteran Clayton Kershaw came on with two outs and the bases loaded in the 12th, striking out the final batter to escape the jam.
In total, the Dodgers stranded 19 runners in a game where both teams combined for 609 pitches, tying the 2018 epic as the longest World Series Game 3 ever at six hours and 39 minutes.
The reaction quickly gained traction among fans and teammates, highlighting the effort of unheralded relievers who defied fatigue and delivered in the biggest moments.
Heading into Game 4, both teams are worn thin. Shohei Ohtani faces Shane Bieber tonight, and with both bullpens taxed, quick decisions could define the outcome. But the Dodgers made one thing clear in Game 3—they’re built for the grind, and their arms came to win.
