Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy defended Trevor Megill after fans booed the All-Star closer following a blown save in Tuesday night’s 9-7 extra-inning loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at American Family Field. The reaction came after Megill surrendered a 4-3 lead, and Murphy made clear that the backlash crossed a line. In the middle of the frustration, Murphy also said he has considered moving abner uribe out of the closer role if the struggles continue.
Murphy pushes back on the boos
Murphy’s message after the game was direct and emotional. “These aren’t machines out there. These are people, ” he said at his postgame press conference. He then added that booing Megill after he had saved 30 games for the team last year was not fair to a player who helped Milwaukee win the division.
The manager did not hide the team’s bigger problem: the Brewers have now lost six straight, their longest losing streak since 2023. Murphy said he understands why fans were frustrated, but he separated that frustration from the treatment Megill received. “My heart goes out to him right now. It bleeds for him. He’s feeling it, ” Murphy said.
Abner Uribe and Megill’s struggles are now in focus
Murphy said the question of whether abner uribe should remain in the ninth inning has entered the conversation, but he stopped short of making a decision in the immediate aftermath of the loss. He said he did not want to act quickly after such an emotional night.
Megill, 32, has had a difficult start to the season. In six games, he has an 0-2 record, a 14. 40 ERA, three saves and five innings pitched. Murphy acknowledged that the numbers do not reflect his best work. “Is he throwing the ball well? No, ” Murphy said. “Is he giving up hard contact? Yes. Do they swing at it like they know it’s coming? Yes. But did the guy save 30 games for us last year? I think he did. ”
Megill says he knows he can be better
Megill agreed with the assessment that his current form is not good enough. “I’m definitely way better than that, ” he said. “Pitches can be a lot better. Pitch execution can be a lot better. A lot of things can be better. ”
The contrast with last season is sharp. Megill earned his first All-Star selection after posting a 2. 49 ERA with 30 saves in 50 games, and he was a key part of Milwaukee’s success. This year, Murphy said the pitcher has already allowed eight earned runs through five innings, a pace that has put extra pressure on the bullpen discussion.
What comes next for Milwaukee
For now, the Brewers are left with two pressures at once: a losing streak that has grown louder by the day and uncertainty over the ninth inning. Murphy’s comments made clear that abner uribe remains part of the closer conversation, even if no move was announced on Tuesday night. The next step will come once the emotions of the loss settle and the club decides whether to stay patient or make a change before the pressure builds further around abner uribe.
