French D1 playoffs : Who Can Stop the Huskies?

The French D1 Championship playoff picture is set: Savigny will face Montpellier, while Rouen will take on La Rochelle. But the question on the minds of everyone in French baseball is: who can bring the Rouen Huskies’ reign to an end?

As a reminder, Rouen have won 19 of the last 22 championships, including the 2024 title, when they beat Savigny 3-1, and the 2025 crown, secured with a 3-0 sweep of Montpellier.

Rouen made a somewhat hesitant start to the season, particularly at the plate, where their offense struggled to click. But as the end of the regular season approached, they shifted into high gear and reeled off seven consecutive wins. That run included emphatic victories over La Rochelle (17-4), Montpellier (13-3), and Senart (14-1).

Several players stood out during the winning streak. Second baseman Gabriel Harrison hit .500, while slugger Hugo Blondel, back from a shoulder injury, batted .423 with two home runs and 12 RBIs. Japanese player Ryosuke Nishikawa, formerly with the Chiba Lotte Marines, also impressed, hitting .427 with two home runs and 12 RBIs.

Rouen already had the league’s best pitching staff and defense. Now that their offense is firing on all cylinders as well, their opponents have every reason to be concerned.

A Well-Rounded Leader

The competition is not giving up, however, starting with regular-season champions the Savigny Lions, who put together an exceptionally consistent campaign. They lost consecutive games only once all season.

Savigny are led by Venezuelan veteran Ivan Acuna, 31, now in his eighth season in France. Whether at shortstop or behind the plate, he enjoyed another outstanding year, batting .402 and recording a career-best 1.154 OPS.

He received excellent support from A. Amoros (.333, 28 RBIs), his young compatriot Nunez (.330, 20 RBIs), and several talented young players.

On the mound, Pena was the best pitcher of the season, posting a 9-2 record and a 1.56 ERA. Another veteran, 32-year-old Nicaraguan Evertz Orozco, also in his eighth season in France, excelled in the late innings. He finished 4-1 with four saves and 47 strikeouts in 40.2 innings.

Savigny have enjoyed their best season in many years and will be the team to beat.

Barracudas in Troubled Waters

The Montpellier Barracudas impressed throughout the year with a highly dangerous offense led by 2026 MVP and French international Paolo Brossier, who hit .459 with 16 RBIs.

Other standout hitters included Pierr Doat (.373, two home runs, 20 RBIs), American former independent-league player Patrick Farina (.371, 15 RBIs), and Venezuelan Jorge Mendez, a former catcher in the Rockies organization (.383, two home runs, 20 RBIs).

Their pitching staff struggled more, however, posting a collective 6.27 ERA. Montpellier also lost their final four games of the regular season, first against Rouen and then Savigny.

Are Montpellier entering the playoffs running on empty, or will the Barracudas rediscover their best form? Either way, they will need to perform much better than they have recently if they hope to challenge Savigny.

The Buccaneers Ready to Board

Compared with three teams that have won a combined 28 French championships, La Rochelle are very much the underdogs.

The Buccaneers have reached the semifinals only twice before: in 2022, when they lost 3-0 to Savigny, and last season, when they were swept 3-0 by Montpellier.

Yet they have put together a strong, well-rounded season, with plenty of depth both at the plate and on the mound. They also know exactly how to make life difficult for their upcoming opponents, Rouen.

Everything therefore remains possible, especially as this season’s semifinals will be played as best-of-three series. In such a short format, all kinds of surprises can happen.