Brewers star Jackson Chourio noticed more than the ball in NLCS Game 3: a praying mantis on his shoulder

During Milwaukee’s NLCS Game 3, Chourio made a critical catch in Los Angeles, only to look down and find a praying mantis crawling across his uniform like it had wandered into the outfield.

By The Apex Times Newsroom1 min readAI-assisted Apex article

Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio had reason to be focused in the National League Championship Series, including a moment in Game 3 when he tracked down a routine fly ball that was briefly swallowed by the Los Angeles sun.

Chourio’s catch came with a quick flash of relief, and it was during that reset that he noticed something unexpected, a praying mantis perched on his shoulder as it crawled into view.

He tried to remove it from his uniform, but the insect avoided him and reappeared on his opposite shoulder, moving across Chourio like it was “playing a prank.”

The moment drew a comparison to another postseason mantis encounter, with the story noting that Washington outfielder Victor Robles had experienced a similar visitor in 2021.

In that earlier case, Robles reportedly let the mantis sit on his hat while he worked, even appearing to acknowledge it in the middle of the inning as the game continued.

Why It Matters

Playoff baseball already runs on fine margins, and this offers a rare, human-scale diversion during a high-leverage NLCS moment.
Chourio’s outfield awareness remained central to the inning, even as the mantis became a memorable side story.
The comparison to Robles highlights that this is not the first time a postseason field moment has included an unusual visitor.
The story adds to the Brewers postseason narrative by blending precision defense with a surreal on-field scene.

Sources

Key Facts

Jackson Chourio made a catch in NLCS Game 3 after a fly ball got lost in the Los Angeles sun.
After the catch, Chourio noticed a praying mantis on his shoulder.
Chourio attempted to remove the mantis, but it avoided him and moved to his opposite shoulder.
The mantis incident is compared to a similar postseason episode involving Victor Robles in 2021.
The article frames the mantis as an odd, brief distraction rather than a change to gameplay.