Reed Richards brings an unfair advantage to the pitcher’s mound in the new Avengers: Doomsday promo. FOX 29 describes his elastic-arm first pitch, with real MLB stars watching from the dugout. That combination left some viewers with a more immediate question than how the Avengers will stop Doctor Doom: are these baseball players actually in the movie?
The roughly minute-long crossover aired during Game 1 of the World Series on October 23. MLB explains that movie footage and specially added player appearances are combined in the promotion. It is worth keeping that distinction in mind before turning every line into a theory.
Watch MLB’s official Avengers: Doomsday crossover preview:
A first pitch with a very strange guest list
The spot places the Fantastic Four at Ebbets Field, with Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards making the ceremonial pitch. Bryce Harper, Freddie Freeman, Jacob Misiorowski, Junior Caminero and Randy Arozarena appear in the baseball crossover. FOX 29’s account describes the mood changing when Doctor Doom appears above the stadium and Harper urges the players to move.
There are also glimpses of the larger superhero reunion. The River’s breakdown identifies an exchange involving Thor and Steve Rogers, plus Scott Lang catching himself after calling Steve “Cap.” Those brief character beats give viewers something to discuss without laying out the film’s plot. Scott’s slip is especially easy to latch onto: a familiar nickname becomes a small reminder that Steve and Sam Wilson now occupy different places in the superhero lineup.
The awkwardness comes from the editing: athletes delivering a crossover gag sit alongside characters whose smallest gestures get studied for clues. A throwaway mention of the Avengers can start sounding like information about an alternate universe, even when it belongs to the advertising.
The replies were almost their own crossover
One r/MCUTheories discussion captures several different responses. These are individual reactions from that thread, rather than a verdict from Marvel’s entire audience.
u/justagayguyinnyc liked the new movie snippets, especially Scott’s correction, but found the sports stars’ acting uncomfortable. u/mrdangerzone summed up the confusion neatly: “I was worried this scene was actually in the movie for a second lol”.
Elsewhere in the same thread, u/RAVObserver was disappointed that the buildup had delivered a commercial. u/Brainiac5000 pushed back, arguing that a commercial was what had been announced. The disagreement was as much about expectations as the footage itself.
That is the little trap in a promotion like this. Baseball viewers get a playful superhero interruption; fans waiting for a substantial trailer count the unfamiliar shots. Both are watching the same minute, with very different ideas of what would make it worthwhile.
Avengers: Doomsday reaches theaters December 18. For now, the safest way to enjoy its baseball detour is as a crossover ad with some movie footage, without drafting the entire dugout into the Avengers.
Featured image: Bryce Harper and Doctor Doom in a composite image illustrating the Avengers: Doomsday World Series crossover promo. Credit: Marvel Studios / MLB, via FOX 29 Philadelphia. Used for commentary on the promotional video.
