MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers are grappling with an identity crisis, according to their manager, Pat Murphy, as the team struggles in the initial stages of the current season. After a 6-2 defeat to the Chicago Cubs on Saturday, the Brewers find themselves two games under .500.
The team has entered a rough patch, losing three consecutive games with a cumulative score of 24-2. This streak began with a lopsided 8-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox, followed by a 10-0 thrashing by the Cubs on Friday. The Brewers endured a 21-inning scoring drought before managing to score in the third inning on Saturday. Now, back-to-back home losses to the Cubs have widened their gap from the division leaders by five games.
“The Cubs have been exceptional,” Murphy commented. “Considering their performances against some top-tier teams, their domination over us in both games is undeniable. Even though the latest game was tighter, they always had control. We failed to stress them.”
This lackluster start diverges markedly from Milwaukee’s 2024 season trajectory, where the Brewers clinched the division title confidently by the end of April, maintaining their dominance with tenacious performances. This season, however, Milwaukee has already faced seven losses by margins of five runs or more, and strikingly, they remain winless in games where the opposition scores first. Their current performance starkly contrasts with their games against the Cubs, suggesting a substantial early-season rift.
Injuries within the pitching department have compounded Milwaukee’s struggles. Entering the season, they were already without two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff and Robert Gasser. The injured list also includes Aaron Civale, Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, and Nestor Cortes. However, Tobias Myers recently returned after being sidelined since April 24.
Woodruff’s return is anticipated after a few more rehab stints in the minors. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers’ bullpen faces considerable strain. They began Saturday’s game with a bullpen ERA of 5.14, ranking 28th league-wide, contrasting sharply with last year’s 3.11 mark, which was second only to Cleveland.
The team’s offensive lineup, likewise, shows signs of underperformance. Christian Yelich’s OPS has plummeted to .673 from last year’s .910. William Contreras, a consistent OPS performer above .824 the past three seasons, is currently at .692. Starting shortstop Joey Ortiz is batting a meager .186 with an OPS of .464.
Despite these setbacks, the Brewers retain an optimistic outlook. First baseman Rhys Hoskins said, “Fortunately, we’re still in the early stages. I don’t want to remain complacent because soon, it won’t be early. There’s still ample baseball ahead, and our room is talented. There’s no reason we can’t reach our desired position by summer’s end.”
Murphy also harbors confidence in the team’s future prospects, suggesting that the current lack of edge is a temporary phase. He observed that such phases are normal and even the previous season had similar challenges en route to their division title.
“I remain hopeful,” Murphy expressed. “I’m not overly concerned. I know our team’s potential, and I trust they’ll regain their competitive edge. It’s somewhat surprising that we’ve lost it for the moment.”