This is the ideal final. The one that will decide the supremacy between the two best French teams of the last five seasons: Since 2021, 3 championships for Rouen, 1 for Montpellier, 1 Challenge for the Huskies, 2 for the Barracudas. 79 wins and 33 losses for Rouen (.705), 84 wins and 33 losses for the Barracudas (.718).
And we’re already drooling because the recent clashes between the two teams have been electric. The four games of the 2021 semifinals were all decided by just 1 or 2 runs. In 2022, Montpellier led 8-0 in the 9th inning before losing 12-13 in extra innings. Speaking of extra innings, everyone remembers the 4.5-hour, 13-inning marathon this season, with the Barracudas staging a late comeback and the Huskies pulling off another in the final inning to erase a 3-run deficit. And we can’t forget the fierce battle of the European Cup semifinal, won 2-1 by Montpellier. We could even go back to 2011 and the 3 games Rouen won after losing two in Montpellier.
Everything is set for this final to go down in history. Both teams finished with identical 20-8 records and comparable statistics: take pitching, for example: 3.24 ERA for Montpellier, 3.25 for Rouen, or the on-base percentage of .400 for the Barracudas, .394 for the Huskies. And then there’s the home record: 15-0 for Montpellier, 16-1 for Rouen. If that doesn’t smell like a final going to the 5th game, I don’t know what does.
However, it seems Montpellier has a slight edge, beyond home-field advantage, which could prove decisive. There seems to be more depth in the Barracudas’ lineup, more certainty in their pitching, with Vera not losing a game since the 1st round and the impeccable Ozanich-Quinonez duo in relief. There’s also defense, which sometimes lets games slip away, but makes up for it behind the plate. You don’t run against the Barracudas (only 70% success rate for teams attempting to steal against 88% for Rouen), and that might take away a weapon from the Huskies.
But this is the French championship final. The moment when, for over 20 years, the Husky turns into a werewolf and devours everything in its path. 17 finals played, 17 finals won, 31 home wins in 37 games. Can the 2025 edition pull off the same transformations as its glorious predecessors? Can it suddenly regain everything that makes these decisive games winners? We don’t know yet.
The semifinals provided some certainties: the first is that Montpellier is on a mission. The Barracudas perfectly escaped the La Rochelle trap, and then cracked their opponent in the 3rd game. A demonstration of strength and power that impresses. It will take a lot of grit to beat this team three times. The second is that Rouen is capable of anything. Because it took real mental strength not to sink after the 2 losses in Toulouse, to be on the brink of the precipice for three games and finally prevail. It wasn’t always pretty or convincing, but after all, the playoffs aren’t a beauty contest. The Huskies know, however, that the small technical or mental errors that have dotted their season will be paid for dearly in the next two weekends.
To analyze this final, we’ve chosen five duels. It’s reductive, like any choice, it wasn’t easy to decide, because in fact every player on each team will certainly have a role to play. But these five face-offs seem to us to be the most decisive, the ones that could definitively tip the final.
The Key Players
Thibault Mercadier: His last outing in the decisive Game 5 against Toulouse is a reflection of his season: he can have difficulties (4 runs on 4 hits in the 6th inning), but at his best, he dominates head and shoulders (0 hits, 1BB, 10 K in the other 8 innings). He had held his own against the Barracudas’ lineup in the European Cup. He will be the ace of the Rouen rotation and must win his two starts.
Daniel Flores: He’s a hitting machine. He’s been unstoppable for 15 games: .468 average, a stratospheric OPS of 1.262, 21 RBIs. He just tormented La Rochelle’s pitching in the semifinals (6 for 11, 1 strikeout, 3 stolen bases), while doing flawless defensive work (1 error). Slowing him down would be a feat, but also a good way to reduce Montpellier’s firepower.
They Must Do More
Jake MacKenzie: 2 for 16 in the semifinals, that’s clearly not enough. Granted, he drew 6 walks (2nd), scored 7 runs (1st), stole 7 bases (1st), and was very solid defensively. But the Huskies desperately need more offensive production from their third baseman. He must set the example at the top of the lineup.
Paolo Brossier: He’s been so impressive all season that his 3 for 12 in the semifinals seems almost ordinary. Even though he drove in 4 runs, he also made an error, against 3 all season long. He, who has spent his season on the bases and driving in runs, must regain his ability to be dangerous and solid at all times.
The (Almost) Hidden Cards
Luke Livian hadn’t shown much in relief. He had even been quite weak after 2 innings pitched. But the Australian pulled his team out of the mire by dominating Game 3. After giving up two hits and two runs to the first two batters, he kept gaining momentum and dominating for 7 innings. An unexpected performance that adds an important card to the Huskies’ game.
Matthis Guiraud. You don’t necessarily think of him when you list the Barracudas’ roster, between French internationals or former American college players. But throughout the season, he has been the ultimate utility player, playing almost every position and having the best season of his career. He steals bases, hits with regularity and power, lays down a bunt when needed, in short, he does everything well. Typically the kind of player ideal for winning a final.
The Long Shot
William Martinez. He seems limited at the plate, covers little ground at shortstop, and is most often relegated to the bottom of the lineup. It’s an understatement to say the Huskies aren’t expecting much from their American who arrived late in the season. But they also remember his important double in the 12th inning of the marathon against the Barracudas. So why couldn’t he be decisive again when needed?
Douglas Rodriguez. For the first time this season, it seems that the weight of the years (40) is catching up with this monument of French baseball. In 19 seasons, he has only dropped below .300 three times. In 2021, in 2023, and this year, where he is far from his usual standards, with only .225 and 3 extra-bases. Yes, but he’s still hitting .318 with runners in scoring position, proof that he still knows how to produce when needed. He’s never easy to face, even less so at the bottom of the lineup. He’s quite capable of finding the important hit at a crucial moment.
They Can Change Everything
Joris Bert. He took his time to get into his semifinal, then he did what he does best: hit on perfectly placed bunts or doubles to the fence. The Huskies’ veteran knows what it takes to win a final, and he’s in a position to greatly contribute to his team’s victory. A leader by example, who must boost the bottom of the Huskies’ lineup.
Fabian Kovacs. His season has been slowed by injuries. But it was he who sounded the wake-up call for the Barracudas with a 2-run homer in Game 1. He is one of the most consistent hitters in the championship over several seasons, an international-level catcher, he can therefore hurt the opponent in several ways. And he loves the Pierre-Rolland field, where he was named MVP of the 2022 Challenge. An essential weapon in the Montpellier arsenal.
F.Colombier
