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Fox Sports
a day ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Surprised By The Brewers? How A Bunch of ‘Average Joes' Are Among MLB's Best
Pat Murphy understands the incredulity and puzzlement spawned by the Milwaukee Brewers' success. The team's manager leans into it, in fact. "It's a bunch of guys nobody's ever heard of," Murphy said last week when his small-market club swept the mighty Dodgers for the second time this month. The Dodgers' luxury-tax payments alone exceed Milwaukee's entire payroll, which ranks in the bottom 10 of the sport. Yet the Brewers — with "a bunch of Average Joes," as Murphy endearingly refers to his group — reached the 100-game mark with the best record in the sport. That band of light-hitting castoffs and misfits, accustomed to being overlooked, reeled off 11 straight wins, tied for the second-longest winning streak in franchise history, before falling 1-0 Tuesday in Seattle despite their 23-year-old flamethrowing rookie All-Star, Jacob Misiorowski, tallying his third scoreless outing in six career MLB starts. Misiorowski is a spectacle to behold, though he is an outlier on the Brewers' obscure, superstar-starved roster. They do not have a player who ranks in the top 40 in FanGraphs' version of wins above replacement. They do not have a player with 20 home runs. They do not have a player who ranks in the top 20 in jersey sales, and they do not have a player with an .800+ OPS. [RELATED: Jacob Misiorowski On This All-Star Season – and Pokémon Collection] They let Willy Adames, their 2024 home run and RBI leader, sign a nine-figure deal with the Giants in December. Days later, they traded star closer Devin Williams to the Yankees. This all came a year after trading away their ace, Corbin Burnes. They do not spend money to backfill those departures, and yet, they continue to make it work by extracting the most out of their talent and upside. They have won 35 of their last 48 games after starting the year 25-28. "When their friends go to Las Vegas and see, 'The Brewers are predicted to win X number of games,' you know what I mean, they hear about it," Murphy said, "and they love to outdo those expectations." The Brewers have made the playoffs six times in the last seven seasons and have won the division three times in the last four years, despite an Opening Day payroll that has not ranked higher than 19th in that span. (This year, it ranked 24th.) Their competitive balance tax figure projects to be about $100 million under the threshold. This season, they're only paying two players — Christian Yelich and Rhys Hoskins — more than $10 million. They have gone on this run without Hoskins, one of their top power threats, who has been out since July 6 with a thumb sprain. Their leader in WAR, Sal Frelick, strained his hamstring at the end of the first half; the Brewers still reeled off wins in their first four games out of the break without him. William Contreras, their 2024 WAR leader, considered by many before the season to be the best catcher in baseball, is hitting around league average with the lowest OPS of his career. And yet, they are 60-41 as the trade deadline nears. It's the latest in a season since 1982 that the Brewers have boasted the best record in MLB. The production is hard to fathom for many, save for those who watch them on a daily basis or have fallen victim to their wrath. "They can really pitch, the pen is lights out, they catch it, they play good defense," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained. "In totality, they do a good job of preventing runs, and offensively it's just a dynamic team. They don't punch much, they steal some bases, they bunt, they hit and run, and they do a lot of different things. I think Murph does a good job with those guys." The moniker bestowed upon the club by Murphy, a former college coach who seems to be the perfect fit to guide this youthful group, is not an entirely accurate description. His players are, it seems, a bunch of well-above-Average Joes. While Murphy believes the top of his lineup "hasn't scratched the surface" of what it is capable of yet, the Brewers still have seven regulars who are above league-average hitters this year. Only two teams have more. "Good teams, the lower half of the lineup contributes," Murphy said. "I think those guys are contributing." One of those contributors was the lesser-known acquisition from the Williams trade. In addition to starter Nestor Cortes, the Brewers also received a 5-foot-7-inch prospect who was drafted in the 14th round in 2021 out of Washington University in St. Louis. That player, Caleb Durbin, personifies the identity of his new club. Durbin made his MLB debut on April 18. The speedy, contact-first infielder is now among eight position players on the team worth between 1-3 fWAR. "These guys have been told they can't do it their whole lives, most of them," Murphy said. "So, it's good to have that." The Brewers rank last in barrel rate, 23rd in home runs and 22nd in slugging, but they excel in most other areas. They have the third-lowest chase rate, the fifth-lowest whiff rate and the seventh-fewest strikeouts in MLB. They rank in the top 10 in both on-base percentage and walks, and they cause havoc on the basepaths, stealing more bases than any team in the National League. "We're just really fortunate that these guys are jelling and coming together and playing hungry," Murphy said. "Play hungry, and anything's possible." By working counts, putting the ball in play and taking extra bases, the Brewers can wear opponents down. They also defend well, ranking second in outs above average to assist a pitching staff that is the primary reason for their success. Milwaukee's pitchers rank ninth in strikeouts and are adept at avoiding barrels, boasting the second-lowest hard-hit rate in MLB. The Brewers have three All-Stars on the mound in Freddy Peralta, Misiorowski — whose fastball averages 99.3 mph — and closer Trevor Megill. But it is their depth on both sides of the ball, built in part from the discards of other clubs, that has allowed them to sustain success. "The belief is there," outfielder Isaac Collins said. "Everyone's playing free." Murphy describes Collins, who was selected by the Brewers in the minor league phase of the 2022 Rule 5 draft and made the Opening Day roster after an injury to outfielder Blake Perkins, as the team's "silent hero." The 28-year-old, who now hits in the middle of the order, ranks fourth in fWAR and fifth in OPS among all MLB rookies with at least 200 plate appearances. There are similar surprises littered throughout the roster. Quinn Priester, a 2019 first-round pick of the Pirates, had a 6.46 ERA in Pittsburgh before getting traded to Boston last July and then to Milwaukee this April. The former top pitching prospect has a 3.33 ERA in 18 appearances (13 starts) with the Brewers and struck out 10 Dodgers batters in six scoreless innings on Friday in Los Angeles. First baseman Andrew Vaughn, another 2019 first-round pick, was unable to fulfill his tremendous potential with the White Sox, where he was a below-replacement level player over parts of five seasons. The 27-year-old was at Triple-A Charlotte when the Brewers offered him a fresh start, dealing from their pitching surplus when Aaron Civale requested a trade. Like Priester, Vaughn has run with the opportunity. He was called up on July 7 and homered in his first game. The Brewers have lost just once since, and he has a .943 OPS with his new club. "A kid like Vaughn, he was in the proverbial cooler in baseball," Murphy said. "He's on a team that's not going to contend, and then all of a sudden he's in Triple-A like, 'What's going on?' … Then to have that opportunity to be resurrected and respond the way he did speaks to who he is." The Brewers, who rank sixth in ERA overall and tied for second in starters' ERA, continue to churn out more arms than they can use, which should give them plenty of ammunition to add at the deadline. There is so much solid Brewers pitching, in fact, that Chad Patrick, an early contender for the NL Rookie of the Year Award, had to be optioned to Triple-A to make room for Brandon Woodruff, a two-time All-Star and the longest-tenured Brewer, whose return from a lengthy, arduous shoulder rehab has coincided with the club's winning streak. Milwaukee was 49-40 and four games back in the NL Central on July 6 when Woodruff made his first start since September 2023. He struck out eight batters and allowed one run in six innings of a 3-1 win. Two weeks later, the Brewers are 60-41 and tied for the lead in the NL Central with the Cubs, whose manager, Craig Counsell, left Milwaukee a year ago for seemingly greener pastures. That opened the door for Murphy, who was part of Counsell's staff, to take over as Milwaukee's skipper. In Murphy's first year at the helm, the Brewers exceeded expectations and won 93 games, finishing 10 games ahead of the Cubs and Cardinals. Murphy was named NL Manager of the Year, but Milwaukee's season fizzled out in the wild-card round for the second straight year. Now, this unheralded group is defying what many thought possible once again. "They remember the kind of year they had last year, a lot of them, and how it ended," Murphy said. "I think that they're still hungry." Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner . recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cincinnati Reds' Hunter Greene (groin) to start rehab assignment
NEW YORK — If the Cincinnati Reds feel the need for speed when they're at Bristol Motor Speedway for MLB's latest circus-sideshow game in a couple weeks, maybe they'll get a 100-mph infusion when they resume their regularly scheduled season after that. That's about when Opening Day starter Hunter Greene could be ready to return from the injured list, barring another setback with the groin strain that has sidelined him for all but three starts (14 innings) since May 7. The Reds aren't offering any projected timelines, but Greene was scheduled to start a minor-league rehab assignment with a two-inning start for the Reds' Arizona Complex League team either Monday or Tuesday, then travel to join Triple-A Louisville to continue the assignment. Reds Austin Hays Terry Francona bounce coming? Cincinnati Reds look 'refreshed' in victory out of break Reds New York Mets NL Wild Card 'Can't sleep on them': What NL Central rivals say about Cincinnati Reds playoff chances Reds MLB draft signings Steele Hall Cincinnati Reds ink top draft pick Steele Hall for below-slot $5.75 million bonus If he progresses enough in two more starts, that could line him up for a return to the Reds rotation sometime during the Aug. 4-6 showdown with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Greene, a 2024 All-Star, has made just 11 starts this season, going 4-3 with a 2.72 ERA. Part of the reason the Reds are reluctant to predict a return for Greene is the fits-and-starts path his rehab has taken since the original injury. Most recently, he was scheduled to start a rehab assignment two weeks ago that seemed to point to a return immediately after the All-Star break. But a relapse of discomfort in the area prompted another MRI, which showed no new issue, and a change in rehab plans. At which point manager Terry Francona said of Greene's return: 'We don't really have a road map.' This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds' Hunter Greene (groin) to start rehab assignment
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cincinnati Reds' latest on Hunter Greene, Rhett Lowder, Carson Spiers
WASHINGTON – A few updates and observations on the Cincinnati Reds pitching depth as we stare intently at team president Nick Krall and general manager Brad Meador for any signal they might be about to land the left-hander they need for the bullpen: More: Why Cincinnati Reds (and Mets) believe they can end the drought of the century Look: Cincinnati Reds unveil NASCAR-inspired uniforms for Speedway Classic Hunter Greene Greene, the Reds' Opening Day starter has pitched just three times since a Grade 1 groin strain first sidelined him May 7, but he could be back on track for a return to the mound in two or three weeks, barring another setback. Greene was to start a minor-league rehab assignment July 23 with a two-inning start for the Reds' Arizona Complex League rookie club, then travel to Omaha to join Triple-A Louisville for at least a couple more rehab starts. Manager Terry Francona had no projected timeline or prescribed number of rehab starts to offer as the team opened a three-game series in Washington this week. 'We just want him to be OK,' he said. Two starts for Louisville could mean a return sometime during the Aug. 7-10 road series against the Pirates, barring setback, for Greene (4-3, 2.72 ERA,, 11 starts). Rhett Lowder The talented young right-hander, who dazzled during a six-start debut last season (1.17 ERA), was finally cleared to start playing catch this week after being shut down almost two months since suffering a severe oblique strain while on a rehab assignment following a forearm strain. It's a long shot that Lowder is able to return and help the Reds down the stretch, but the team isn't ruling it out. 'It's one of the things we don't want to do,' Francona said. 'Even if he doesn't pitch for us, we want him to prepare, because, one, maybe he pitches for us, but, two, if he (doesn't and) goes home, he can have a semi-normal winter.' Carson Spiers The right-hander who opened the season in the rotation as the club waited out the slow-played buildup of Andrew Abbott underwent an MRI on Monday for the biceps soreness that prompted his rehab assignment to be paused over the weekend. Results were not immediately available. Spiers, a valuable swingman over the past year, has been on the IL since April 20 because of a shoulder impingement. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Hunter Greene, Rhett Lowder, Carson Spiers: Injury updates on pitchers
Axios
2 days ago
- Business
- Axios
St. Petersburg preps for Tropicana Field roof installation
City officials have begun laying the groundwork — er, ceiling work — to install a new roof on Tropicana Field. Why it matters: The city is on a tight timeline to repair the Tampa Bay Rays ballpark in time for Opening Day next spring. State of play: Workers are currently installing blue netting that will serve as a base from which to build out the roof, city spokesperson Samantha Bequer said in an email. The city will build out the new roof in phases beginning next month, with expected completion in December. Also that month, repairs to the interior and the addition of turf are slated to begin. The project's expected completion date is April. By the numbers: The repairs are projected to cost about $56 million, with $22.5 million allocated for the roof alone. Between the lines: The renovation comes amid a potential sale of the team to a group led by Jacksonville developer Patrick Zalupski, who The Athletic reported wants to see the team relocate to Tampa.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
David Stearns has a distinct plan for the Mets' trade deadline
Access the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Try it free Sometimes top executives of teams publicly skirt around their trade-deadline plans. Often they do not want to be pinned down, cognizant that by telegraphing their plans, fans and media can then evaluate whether those plans were properly executed. Some do not want to tell reporters what their team needs to spare the feelings and the scrutiny of the players who could soon be replaced. Advertisement Speaking 10 days before the trade deadline, though, David Stearns was pretty forthright: Bullpen help is needed and likely on the way. 'We've been hit with injuries in the pitching staff, I think specifically the bullpen. And so we will be active there,' the Mets president of baseball operations said Monday. 'I think providing our group some reinforcements in the bullpen would be great.' The Mets bullpen was the team's strength for the first few months of the season, when it was leaned upon heavily and responded. Advertisement Likely in part because of that overuse, the group has suffered from injury and ineffectiveness since. Three members of the Opening Day bullpen — A.J. Minter, Danny Young and Max Kranick — are gone for the season with elbow surgeries. So is 2024 revelation Dedniel Núñez. José Buttó remains out with an illness. 3 Mets GM David Stearns is ready to get the Mets some bullpen help. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Since the start of June, the Mets bullpen entered play having logged the fifth-most innings in the majors while posting the fourth-worst ERA (5.26). The team's overall downslope has reflected its bullpen's slide. Advertisement 'There are generally relievers traded at the deadline, and so I'm sure there will be some this [deadline] as well,' Stearns said before the Mets opened a series at Citi Field against the Angels. 'I think we'll be involved in that.' Virtually every contender (or near contender) will join Stearns in searching for relief help, though the reliever market is far more plentiful than the markets for starting pitchers or impact bats. 3 Orioles pitcher Felix Bautista (74) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Perhaps Stearns can seek a powerful setup arm for Edwin Díaz and pull off a swap for Orioles star Félix Bautista. He can try to raid the hovering-around-.500 Twins, who could dangle Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax. There is little reason for the Pirates to hold onto David Bednar. Advertisement Stearns said there are trade conversations going on across the league right now, but there are 'still a number of teams' trying to decide whether to buy or sell. He thought the market would clarify within the next week. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND METS STATS If the Mets — whose rotation is healthy but not yet built up and who theoretically could try to upgrade in center field and/or third base — come away from the deadline with solely a reliever or two, there would be some fans complaining about a lack of a splash. 3 Griffin Jax #22 of the Minnesota Twins delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays. Getty Images 'I try not to look at it as the size of the splash,' said Stearns, whose first July with the Mets — which netted Jesse Winker, Paul Blackburn, Phil Maton, Ryne Stanek, Huascar Brazobán and Tyler Zuber — was not splashy. 'I think that can get a little dangerous this time of year. … I think we try to look at it as, like: How good is the player coming back? And how does that particular player fit the team needs? 'I also don't know how many big, splash players are actually being traded this deadline.' Those 'splash players' are more commonly found at bat (such as Diamondbacks slugging third baseman Eugenio Suárez) or in a rotation (perhaps Sandy Alcantara or Seth Lugo). In both areas, Stearns expressed contentment with the club's current players. Advertisement 'I look at our position-player grouping, and for the most part, I'm pretty pleased with where we are,' said Stearns, who added that Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio — who have shared third base with Mark Vientos — have 'taken a step forward.' Stearns allowed that the Mets have received little offensively in center field, where Tyrone Taylor has played well defensively but barely hit. But Stearns values Taylor's glove and cited Jeff McNeil's growing ability in center, which has minimized urgency to upgrade at the spot. Delivering insights on all things Amazin's Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters Advertisement 'For me at least, the bar to improve center field has probably risen over the past let's say two weeks because of Jeff's comfort level out there,' said Stearns, who was similarly optimistic about the club's current rotation. Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea are building up — slowly, particularly in the latter's case — at the major league level. Clay Holmes has not pitched six complete innings in any of his past seven starts. Frankie Montas has not pitched six innings in any of his four starts off the IL. David Peterson has been the lone horse among the group. Stearns said horses are nice, but he believes the current five has enough upside for a playoff run. 'I think we have multiple pitchers on our staff right now, in that grouping of five, who can lead a staff into a playoff series,' Stearns said. 'I'm confident of that. I'm comfortable with that.'
