After dropping their last two games against the Giants, the Milwaukee Brewers have lost consecutive series for the first time since early June. Since the Reds snapped their 14-game win streak, they have gone 3-6 and ceded NL Central ground to the Cubs, who now sit five games back after falling nine behind to begin last week.
Chicago rebounded in the two rivals’ massive 5-game set to take the middle three games. They made up another couple of games over the weekend. While the Brewers still own a comfortable lead, the division is back to bordering on a recognizable race.
Manager Pat Murphy doesn’t love how his guys have looked lately, though he also recognized several extenuating factors.
From bad luck to bumps and bruises, the Milwaukee Brewers have battled a number of conspiring challenges
“Since that 14-game streak, we’ve kind of not piled on,” Murphy said after Sunday’s 4-3 loss, which featured the second straight blown save for closer Trevor Megill. Not a familiar sight for a guy who had converted 88% of his chances beforehand.
The Brewers manager also acknowledged, “Now we did hit some balls that got caught, both yesterday and today, that you go, ‘Woof. Things aren’t going your way.'”
The team’s recent slew of injuries, bumps, and bruises have magnified any bad luck. Amidst a 19-game stretch with no days off, the bullpen is showing signs of wear and tear. Murphy observed that his relievers are “a little bit beat up probably. They’re not as sharp. But, you know, a couple of those balls go right to somebody, we’re not even talking about it.”
In addition to sheer pitching exhaustion, the offense has dealt with a number of injuries and absences. Most recently, shortstop Joey Ortiz hit the injured list with a strained hamstring, joining Jackson Chourio and Rhys Hoskins among missing position players. Those injuries are amplified as Murphy tries to get his regulars a day off here and there during a grueling August schedule.
“I’m proud of our team. We’re playing down a man or two, obviously. Maybe three. But every team goes through that. I think we still have the best record in baseball. But we’re not trending in the right direction,” Murphy said.
Correct, sir, on all counts. At 81-50, the Brewers remain 4.5 games ahead of Philadelphia for the NL’s best mark, 3.5 up on Detroit in all of baseball. They have not fared well of late, however, and look a tad tired.
As the team leans on its youngsters, Murphy shared the message he is trying to impart in order to keep Milwaukee’s ship on course. “What I mostly have to help them realize is, this is a tough game. And if you’re going to play like we’ve played, to win, you’ve gotta somehow dig down and play that way with that mentality every day. And it’s really, really hard. Because there’s so many games, it’s such a grind.”
For More Great Wisconsin Content
Follow me on X at @ezsniper14 and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!
