Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy is showing why he is worthy of an unprecedented third straight Manager of the Year Award
After an 8-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday and with just two games remaining, the Milwaukee Brewers have secured not just a 100-win season, but the best record in Major League Baseball for the second straight year.
The Brewers, who are 101-59, have been the dominant force in MLB for months. Their success can be attributed to multiple factors, but none of it would be possible without manager Pat Murphy.
Murphy already has two consecutive National League Manager of the Year awards, making him the first manager in the National League since Bobby Cox in 2004-05 to win in back-to-back seasons. Can he do it again?
The running favorite
If Murphy wins a third straight Manager of the Year Award, it would be unprecedented for both the National League and the American League.
So far, the 67-year-old is on his way to making it happen.
In his recent mailbag, Andy McCullough of The Athletic was asked about Murphy’s chances, and he made it clear that the odds are in his favor. It is not entirely surprising, given what Murphy has been able to accomplish, but the lens through which the Brewers were viewed heading into the season has also helped his case.
Counted out
As McCullough noted, the award generally goes to the manager whose team has exceeded expectations.
Despite Milwaukee’s success last season, which led to the best record in baseball and a trip to the National League Championship Series, the Brewers still had skepticism attached to them.
For Murphy, that has worked out well. Once again, Milwaukee has demonstrated exactly why it should not be counted out. Perhaps those on the outside looking in find it easy to doubt the Brewers due to their small-market status, especially when they lose a key player like Freddy Peralta.
But once again, this group proves that even though it is young, it has the talent to hang with the best and be the best. Murphy is the conductor of it, and he leads the proverbial symphony with grace and precision time and time again.
Overcoming obstacles
Murphy has also proven that he can battle through adversity that goes beyond the baseball field.
This season, Murphy has dealt with hip and back issues. In June, the latter compelled him to undergo surgery, and he returned to the team the next day.
Murphy’s toughness and dedication has been on full display, and it helps his case to take home this award again. Many other managers, especially those in Murphy’s age group, would have needed significant time to recover, but he fought through it.
