June 21, 2025
Kyle Ross/Imagn Images
Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto both slide home safely in the seventh inning of the Phillies' 10-2 win over the Mets on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.
The highlight of a seventh-inning rally was viral almost as soon as it happened.
Bryson Stott, with the bases loaded, launched a double to the wall in left-center. Alec Bohm made it home easily from third, then, as the Apple TV stream showed Stott pulling up to second, the camera immediately jumped to Nick Castellanos rushing home, with J.T. Realmuto right on his heels as the throw was coming in.
They both slid, in complete sync, and both beat the tag at the plate. The Phillies went up big, the Citizens Bank Park crowd was on its feet, and in a potentially pivotal series in the NL East race, the Phils took the opener against the rival New York Mets, 10-2.
They got a signature, freeze-frame moment of the 2025 season along the way, too, one they were able to laugh about on the walk back to the dugout and in the clubhouse afterward.
"It kinda felt like it was playing a Little League game with that play," Realmuto said (via NBC Sports Philadelphia). "Even getting back in the dugout, everybody was laughing, having fun with it. It was just a different scenario than you usually see in a game, so kinda being able to have that fun and just laugh in the dugout, that was a special moment."
MADNESS 🤯
— MLB (@MLB) June 21, 2025
Bryson Stott clears the bases! #FridayNightBaseball pic.twitter.com/4J0oTXxizM
Castellanos said it was something like out of a baseball movie, he just couldn't remember which.
"I was kinda hovering around because I didn't know what was up with the ball, where it was gonna go," Castellanos explained (again via NBCSP). "Then as soon as I saw it go and hit off the wall, and I turned to go, I saw [Realmuto], where he was, so I kinda knew he was close by me."
And manager Rob Thomson, a baseball lifer, said he's seen that situation before, but just go horribly. So this was new.
"That was great," Thomson said with a smirk postgame. "I've seen where there's two guys thrown out at the plate at the same time...Yeah, that was good. J.T. did a great job."
"I basically made a decision rounding third base in my head," Realmuto said. "I was like 'We're either gonna both be out or both be safe. So luckily we both snuck in there."
In a play that was all over fans' social media feeds in short order, will definitely be in the season yearbook later on, and for the Phillies, hopefully a focal point in what becomes a needed series win as the schedule pushes on into the summer.
Their shot to do so is right on deck for Saturday night back in South Philly with rookie righthander Mick Abel taking the mound.
MUST SEE: This angle of two Phillies crossing the plate is WILD 🤯 pic.twitter.com/RLSz36yQ4X
— MLB (@MLB) June 21, 2025
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