"There are pitchers like this in the world": Ashby, who volunteered for a slave-like role, sets new record with 89⅓ innings of heroic effort and 18 scoreless innings in postseason... Praise: "He tried to go back up again"

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18 scoreless innings. Although he rested for the final game that decided the World Series championship, Aaron Ashby (28) was an indispensable pitcher in the Milwaukee Brewers' title run.

On the 29th (Korean time), at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, the Milwaukee defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 of the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series to claim the championship.

Behind this historic achievement of reaching the top of the World Series for the first time since their founding in 1969, there was the tear-jerking heroic effort of a relief pitcher.

According to MLB.com, the official MLB website, Ashby said, "We are happy to have achieved this as a team. We keep saying 'best friends,' but we are literally the best teammates." He added, "The season we had, and the postseason these guys created, is one of the most special experiences I have ever been part of in my life."

MLB.com reported, "Without Ashby's dazzling performance this postseason, it is highly likely that the Brewers would not have popped champagne in the visiting clubhouse at Tropicana Field on this day."

In Game 4, Ashby threw 31 pitches to record seven outs perfectly, achieving 18 scoreless innings in this playoff run. This is a new single-postseason relief pitcher longest scoreless streak record, surpassing Andrew Miller.

The World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) was catcher William Contreras, who displayed decisive performance from the lineup and challenge abilities akin to AI (Artificial Intelligence), but even he could not fail to acknowledge Ashby's contribution. He praised him highly, saying, "It is unbelievable. He made history," and explained, "He is my brother. All my teammates in the bullpen are my brothers, but what makes Ashby special is that after pitching one inning, he wants to go back up for the next inning and keep pitching."

Ashby also entered the record books as the only pitcher in postseason history to record 7 consecutive scoreless games, along with recording at least five outs in every game. No one had ever achieved this before.

Manager Pat Murphy praised him, saying, "He is definitely one of the MVPs." He added, "He threw the ball every night and made no excuses. He did not worry about his own stats or role, nor did he care about saves or holds. The only thing he cared about was a Milwaukee Brewers victory. It is special to have such a player on the team."

The all-time longest scoreless streak in postseason history was 33⅓ innings set by New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera from 1998 to 2000. Miller had a 24⅓-inning scoreless streak spanning three postseasons and recorded 16 consecutive scoreless innings with Cleveland in 2016.

Miller, who attended the World Series as a member of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), said, "He is just in good condition and riding a flow where everything goes his way. In situations like this, you just try to ride that flow for as long as possible."

Like Miller, Ashby is a pitcher who missed an entire season after shoulder surgery before moving from the starting rotation to the bullpen. After settling perfectly into the bullpen in 2025, he pitched 89⅓ innings in 75 games this season, leaving behind incredible stats of 13 wins, 3 losses, 4 saves, and 15 holds. His ERA was 3.12.

He displayed even more monstrous power in this postseason. He appeared in three games each against the San Diego Padres, LA Dodgers, and Tampa Bay Rays, recording 3 saves and 2 holds in a total of 9 games.

Ashby said, "I fixed the issue of overexerting myself and losing my rhythm. In past postseasons and regular seasons, I tried to do too much, which sometimes caused my tempo to speed up." He added, "When this postseason started, I just prayed. Every game inevitably comes with chaos. I just tried to feel calm, and I was able to feel it."

In the World Series, Ashby appeared in Games 1, 2, and 4, allowing only one hit over 5⅔ innings. As a result, during Milwaukee's three playoff rounds, Ashby threw 238 pitches over 18 innings, recording 20 strikeouts while allowing only 5 hits and 3 walks.

Even at the moment of victory, Ashby thought only of the entire team. He said, "If even one piece were missing from our team, it would not be what it is now." He added, "Everyone has made different contributions throughout this year. I do not know if we would have been here if someone on the team had been removed. I think that is what makes this championship so special."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original