After Craig Counsell departed, Bench Coach Pat Murphy was immediately promoted to Brewers manager. Murphy’s promotion was a no-brainer; he had been with the team since 2016 and was well respected inside Milwaukee’s clubhouse. Given the key personnel the Brewers lost in the offseason, many thought Milwaukee wouldn’t be very competitive in 2024. However, thanks in part to Murphy’s leadership, the Milwaukee Brewers are currently in first place by a comfortable margin. Pat Murphy has been doing the best managerial job in baseball this season.
Pat Murphy Inherited A Challenging Situation
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Milwaukee Brewers had a very tumultuous offseason. It began with the Brewers’ all-time winningest manager Craig Counsell departing for the arch-rival Chicago Cubs. Upon Murphy’s promotion, Milwaukee would trade former Cy Young award winner Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles. Mark Canha was also dealt to the Tigers and Carlos Santana left in free agency. While they brought back Brandon Woodruff, the former all-star would be missing the entire season recovering from shoulder surgery. The Brewers also haven’t changed their ways in how much money they spend. Milwaukee would sign low-cost free agents Jakob Junis, Gary Sanchez, Joe Ross, and Rhys Hoskins. The Brewers would also bring back starters Colin Rea and Wade Miley. This wasn’t the easiest situation for a first-year manager.
Injuries In Spring Training Make The Situation Even Harder
Embed from Getty ImagesMaking a tough situation worse, it would be announced in Spring Training that all-star closer Devin Williams sustained a back injury. Williams would be forced to miss most of the season recovering. On top of that, the injury bug would bite promising young outfielder Garrett Mitchell again. The 25-year-old has yet to appear in a game for the Brewers this season. Given all the offseason losses and injuries, fans were very pessimistic about the upcoming season.
Murphy Has The Brewers Rolling Along
Embed from Getty ImagesHowever, Pat Murphy and the Brewers haven’t missed a beat this season. Milwaukee is one of the more surprising teams this season. The Brewers currently are in first place in the NL Central by a healthy margin over the St. Louis Cardinals. They also have a winning record against teams with above .500 records. Arguably the biggest surprise for the Brewers this season is how successful they’ve been offensively. This had been a problem area for the past six seasons. Milwaukee is currently averaging 4.81 runs per game, which is the third-best in the National League. Pat Murphy’s Brewers also have a knack for not being out of any game. The Brew Crew have 20 comeback wins this season including five in the ninth inning.
Weathering The Injury Storm
Murphy has done a great job weathering an abundance of injuries. Besides Williams, Woodruff, and Mitchell early on, starters Wade Miley and Robert Gasser were lost for the season due to Tommy John surgery. Joe Ross has been on the injured list since late May with a lower back strain. DL Hall sustained a knee injury in late April and was most recently moved to the 60-day injured list. Jakob Junis pinched a nerve in his throwing shoulder and has only made one start this season. However, despite injuries to many key players, Murphy has been able to get a lot out of his other players.
Making The Most Out Of The Talent He Has
Embed from Getty ImagesDespite all the injuries under Murphy, the Brewers seem to have that “next man up” mentality. Colin Rea is having a good year, Bryse Wilson has done some good things as a starter, and Tobias Myers seems to be carving a permanent spot in the rotation. Despite not having Devin Williams, the Brewers bullpen hasn’t lost its nastiness. Milwaukee’s bullpen ERA of 3.24 is second to only the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League. Bryan Hudson has come out of nowhere and has been the league’s premier set-up man and shutdown reliever this season. Hudson has a big case to be an all-star. Despite not having Williams, Trevor Megill has been filling very well. He’s registered 15 saves so far this season.
Murphy has also been getting a lot out of the younger players on this team. Second-year infielder Brice Turang has made a big jump in his development. Before being shut down for the year, rookie starter Robert Gasser was having a lot of early success. Rookie third baseman Joey Ortiz, who came over in the Burnes trade, should be in the NL Rookie of the Year conversation.
Pat Murphy Is Doing The Best Job This Season
Embed from Getty ImagesPat Murphy inherited a tough situation heading into the 2024 season. Given the issues surrounding the team, it would have been hard to blame him if Milwaukee took a step back this season. However, no challenge has been too big for Murphy, as he’s been able to successfully do more with less. Murphy has gotten a lot out of the youngsters and the guys who’ve had much bigger roles than initially planned. One could argue that a big reason for Craig Counsell’s success was the presence of Pat Murphy. With how successful the Brewers have been so far, despite all the adversity they’ve faced and the low amount of money they spent in the offseason, Murphy is arguably doing the best managerial job in baseball.
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