Following a tough series-opening loss, Brewers manager Pat Murphy met with reporters and struck a balance between urgency and belief as his club looks to bounce back in Game 2 of the NLCS against the Dodgers.
Murphy, candid as ever, made it clear that there’s no time for slow starts, particularly for ace Freddy Peralta, who takes the ball with Milwaukee aiming to even the series.
“Heading the count, attacking his three top pitches, clicking from pitch one — that’s what we need,” Murphy said. “All these games are critical. There’s no ‘let’s give him a chance to settle in.’ Let’s go.”
Peralta, who’s quietly put together one of the finest seasons of his career, now shoulders the leadership mantle that once belonged to departed arms Corbin Burnes, who is now with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Brandon Woodruff, who has been injury-prone.
“I remember sitting with him in spring training and saying, ‘You’re the guy,’” Murphy recalled. “The ace has to post, and that’s what Freddy does. He hasn’t missed a start, and this is unquestionably his best year.”
One of Milwaukee’s bright spots lately has been Jake Bauers, who’s been scorching hot since September began. Murphy praised the veteran’s consistency and attitude, noting that the club is even willing to shuffle the lineup to keep his bat in play.
“He’s been as good as anybody swinging the bat in September,” Murphy said. “We’re going to sacrifice a little bit and put him in the outfield because he’s been that good.”
The Brewers will have to navigate another challenge tonight in Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. But Murphy was quick to downplay any overconfidence.
“It’s hard to take much from that,” he admitted. “He was getting his feet wet then, but he’s been one of the best five pitchers in baseball since. You’ve got to have a strategy — even when he’s really good, find ways to knock him off course.”
Murphy’s tone throughout the presser reflected both his competitive edge and his respect for the moment. Asked about the importance of winning at home before heading to Los Angeles, he didn’t sugarcoat it.
“It’s critical,” Murphy said. “You’ve got to take advantage of home games. Last night, they outplayed us — we left zero guys on base before the ninth inning. You can’t let those slip away.”
Despite the sting of dropping Game 1, Murphy pointed to his team’s resilience as a source of optimism. The Brewers haven’t had more than a four-game losing streak all season, a testament to their ability to reset quickly.
“The practice of responding, the practice of washing it off — that’s been huge for us,” Murphy said. “At this time of year, the more I say, the less effective it is. They’ve heard my voice for seven months — I’m tired of it myself,” he joked.
As for tonight’s pitching plans, Murphy hinted that veteran José Quintana could see action at some point.
“Yeah, I would think so,” Murphy said with a smirk. “Maybe tonight.”
The Brewers will need every bit of that experience, depth, and resilience to flip the momentum against a Dodgers team that thrives on punishing mistakes. But for Murphy, it’s simple — attack early, stay loose, and find a way to “steal” one back.
“It’s all nine innings, 27 outs for each team,” Murphy said. “Now we’ve got to be the ones who take advantage.”