MILWAUKEE — The postseason hit the roof in Game 1 of the National League Division Series at American Family Field, where a potential go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth by San Diego Padres infielder Ty France struck a cable on the roof and dropped into the glove of Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio for an out.
According to the league's ground rules for the play, the ball was ruled an out after contacting the roof structure. Dayn Perry examined the ground rules and noted that Statcast data suggested the ball likely would not have been a home run, while Eno Sarris and Spencer Nusbaum argued Statcast struggles to track balls hit that high and said a foul ball was a much more likely outcome than a home run, though France would have received another chance to swing.
The bizarre sequence joined a list of the weirdest plays in postseason history and headlined a busy opening day of Division Series action. Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen nearly no-hit the New York Yankees, allowing only a two-out double in the eighth inning to catcher Austin Wells, who was thrown out at third after running through a stop sign to end the threat. The Yankees left Aaron Judge off the Division Series roster as he has not recovered from his calf injury, while likely Cy Young winner Cam Schlitter is slated to start Game 2 after adding a curveball to his arsenal.
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Dodgers put rookie Josue De Paula on the playoff roster, Shohei Ohtani said he is still trying to determine the cause of his knee, biceps and neck problems and will try to manage symptoms, and Dodgers star Tarik Skubal was highlighted for overcoming heat and Atlanta to win Game 1. The roof play set the tone before Jackson Chourio's walk-off lifted the Brewers past the Padres in Game 2, capping a wild start to the NLDS in Milwaukee.