So much baseball has gone down since the last article was published last month. The Mariners had a hard-fought battle against the pennant-winning Blue Jays that went all the way to Game Seven of the ALCS, but they ultimately missed out after George Springer’s go-ahead three-run homer.
We also witnessed another epic collision of two great MVP races, with last year’s winners — Ohtani and Judge — repeating as champions. Speaking of repeats, the Dodgers pushed past the Blue Jays and became the first team since the 1998–2000 Yankees dynasty to win back-to-back championships, cementing themselves as the modern-day powerhouse and baseball’s biggest threat.
As epic as the World Series was — featuring a complete game, a pinch-hit grand slam, and an 18-inning marathon led by Will Klein (who wasn’t even on the playoff roster before the series) — nothing topped the electric pitching performance by Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Although, the Blue Jays might have won the whole damn thing if Isaiah Kiner-Falefa had actually touched home plate in Game Seven.
So much to see, and so much anxiety taken up by this lovely and stressful game. But as we head into the offseason, let’s look back at some of the most notable performances of 2025. The season may be over, but without the unforgettable moments along the way, none of this would mean anything.
Oh, and by the way, I am not including any Shohei Ohtani or Aaron Judge moments! Just because they’re legends of the game doesn’t mean it isn’t boring and redundant to always speak about them.
#5: Angels vs. Rangers — The 20–Run Chaos Game
On August 27th, toward the end of the season, the Angels and the Rangers went head-to-head in an epic game of total craziness. Although the Rangers blew the score out of the water and the Angels couldn’t keep up, it felt more like a home run derby than a regular game.
The Rangers had their best Jacob pitcher not named Jacob deGrom start the game, with Jacob Latz going 4.1 innings and only giving up 2 earned runs on 5 hits while striking out 5 hitters. It was a game of Jake vs. Jack, as for the Angels, Jacob Kochanowicz started the game. This game was the sole reason his stats were super inflamed; after only going 3.1 innings, he gave up 9 hits and 10 earned runs. Jake gave up the most earned runs in the game, with the second being none other than former Yankees shortstop Oswaldo Peraza, who recorded only 1 out before giving up 8 earned runs and skyrocketing his ERA to 30.85.
Pitchers cycled in and out while hitters feasted on anything in the strike zone. By the end, the box score looked like a misprint—double-digit innings, crooked numbers everywhere, and highlight-reel damage from both sides. It wasn’t just a game; it was chaos baseball at its peak, a reminder of how unpredictable and explosive MLB offense can be when two lineups catch fire at the same time.
Only Christian Moore of the Angels had a home run that game. He was one of the three runs the Angels managed to put on the board as they sacrificed 20 runs to the Rangers. The Rangers had four times the amount of home runs in the game, with Corey Seager, Adolis García, Joc Pederson, and Kyle Higashioka all getting a piece of the long ball. This moment isn’t too electric for the top five of baseball moments, but there aren’t many games that reach the 20-run mark. It’s always exciting to feature one of these teams pushing past that mark.
#4: Tyler O’Neill Sets MLB Record — Six Straight Opening Day Home Runs
This isn’t one particular moment; it’s a standout display of baseball insanity that broke through the record books. Tyler O’Neill of the Baltimore Orioles stamped his name into baseball history by launching a home run in his sixth consecutive Opening Day, breaking the all-time MLB record and cementing himself as the greatest Opening Day performer ever. He has played for three teams since 2020, when the home run streak began, spending four seasons with the Cardinals and then one year with the Red Sox before joining the Orioles. His 2025 Opening Day performance was one of his best in recent memory, as he started the season with 3 hits, 3 runs scored, 3 RBIs, and 2 walks. He has created a profound legacy for himself as one of the all-time greats of Opening Day — if not the absolute GOAT of Opening Day baseball. It’s the type of streak that blends power, preparation, and a flair for the moment. Opening Day may symbolize new beginnings, but for Tyler O’Neill, it has become the annual guarantee of a no-doubt blast.
#3: Kyle Schwarber’s Four-Homer Barrage
This is one of two four-home-run barrages featured on today’s list. Although Eugenio Suárez also hit four home runs in a game and was the first player to do so this season since 2018, I thought these guys proved more worthy of making the list. However, shoutout to Eugenio Suárez, who reached his career high in home runs again at 49, a mark he hadn’t reached since 2019 with the Reds. Kyle Schwarber is another long-ball merchant, and for him this season proved to be one of the most impressive. Although he didn’t win the MVP this year, losing out to Shohei Ohtani, the duo became the first time in MVP voting that two primary designated hitters finished back-to-back in MVP voting.
This was Kyle’s best year, with career highs in both HR (56) and RBIs (132), and it was no surprise he had an electric season hitting in Citizens Bank Park. On August 28th against the Braves, Kyle Schwarber provided one of the most electric power displays in history as he turned every at-bat into a moon launch. Kyle started things off with a solo shot, then added a two-run home run, and followed that with back-to-back three-run home runs. Schwarber amassed 9 RBIs and 16 total bases. Schwarber has always been known for his elite raw power, but this performance was different—every swing felt like a detonation. Pitchers tried adjusting, but nothing worked; anything over the plate was sent into orbit. Schwarber joined an exclusive club and an even rarer one for the Phillies, becoming the first to complete this feat since Mike Schmidt did it back in 1976. Kyle Schwarber did this at the perfect time, right before hitting the market, and he has proven why he deserves a large contract.
#2: Paul Skenes vs. Tarik Skubal — A Cy Young & All-Star Starter Duel
Every year the All-Star Game is incredibly exciting no matter what. Seeing your favorite players battle against one another is a thrill for any fan, even if it’s just an exhibition game. However, the 2025 All-Star Game proved to be a little different. It featured two of the greatest pitchers of this generation, and that is not an understatement. They are easily the 1A and 1B best pitchers in baseball. For Tarik Skubal, he is a two-time consecutive Cy Young winner who somehow got even better this year after winning the Triple Crown last year with his first Cy Young. Two-time All-Star, two Cy Young awards, two ERA titles, and now one year away from the biggest payday of his life—and possibly the biggest payday for a pitcher ever—as he is looking to amass a contract over $400 million. And then there is Paul Skenes, who, after winning ROY and Cy Young in just two years of play, doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. In 320 career innings, Skenes has an ERA below 2.00, and after recording a 1.97 ERA in his rookie year, he somehow got even better with a 1.96 ERA this year. It’s unbelievable stuff. Skenes was also the starter for the past two All-Star Games, which is truly unprecedented for the game of baseball.
The dynamic duo became the first pair to start the All-Star Game and also win the Cy Young, the first time this has happened since Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens did it in 2001. Both pitchers only went one inning to start the All-Star Game. Skenes had the better performance, and even though none of this truly mattered, it was still cool to see them face off. Skubal recorded 2 strikeouts but allowed 6 runs and 3 hits in his inning of work, while Skenes struck out 2 batters and gave up nothing.
The duel wasn’t just about dominance; it was about the future of pitching. Two aces at the peak of their powers, battling pitch for pitch, showed fans what modern elite pitching looks like: power, precision, and pure competitiveness.
#1: Nick Kurtz’s Four-Home Run Game
This is by far the clear number one on this list, and for obvious reasons. Nick Kurtz, who came out of nowhere in his first season, practically did it all. He won Rookie of the Year, a Silver Slugger, was placed on the First Team All-MLB for 2025, and had a 1.000 OPS rookie season—the first to do so since Aaron Judge in 2017. But to top all of this, Kurtz hit four home runs in a single game and had one of the best stat lines in recent history.
On July 25th, the Athletics played on the road against the Houston Astros, and though no one knew it yet, Kurtz was about to create serious chaos. He slammed four home runs in a single game and became the first rookie and first player in Athletics history to accomplish this feat. In addition to the four home runs, Kurtz went 6-for-6 at the plate with 8 RBIs and 6 runs scored, and he tied the record with 19 total bases. This is superstar talent—it doesn’t come around often, and I’m happy this happened for the Athletics organization. They deserve as much luck as they can get.
What made this even more important was the discipline Kurtz showed in each swing. He displayed effortless power and a sharp understanding of the sweet zone. Four home runs don’t just come around often; it should be treated like any rare baseball event, such as a no-hitter or a complete game. His performance brought many eyes toward the talent in Sacramento. For years, they have been irrelevant with relocation issues and endless trades of their players, but having a player like Nick Kurtz emerge out of nowhere puts all those issues to rest.
Those were my top five best moments of the year that don’t include the two greatest superstars this sport has seen since Barry Bonds. Not every article needs to highlight their success—everyone already knows about them. The purpose of this piece was to give a round of applause to those who might not get much credit and often get overshadowed by bigger names. Obviously, there are no pitching names bigger than Paul Skenes, but he’s just so likable and awesome I had to include him. There are also many other moments in baseball that challenge the norms and stand out as some of the best this game has ever seen. But I’m happy to spend a few moments sharing some of my top five.
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