As the Milwaukee Brewers continue to stumble through the early part of the 2025 season, frustrations are beginning to show, especially from within the clubhouse. After dropping to 21-25 and slipping to fourth in the National League Central, Brewers manager Pat Murphy didn’t hold back in a recent postgame interview when asked about the team’s offensive struggles.
“Now, did we go spend a lot of money in the offseason, guys? Let’s call a spade a spade. No, we didn’t,” Murphy said bluntly. “But that’s the beauty of this thing. Maybe it’ll be a different journey around the track this year.”
Brewers Departures in the Offseason
The comment, though partially optimistic, was a thinly veiled critique of the Brewers’ front office and ownership, who opted for a conservative approach during the offseason despite several key departures. Among the losses were shortstop Willy Adames, closer Devin Williams, and pitchers Bryse Wilson, Colin Rea, and Frankie Montas. Their absence has been felt on both sides of the ball, and the voids they left have not been effectively filled.
One of the few notable offseason additions, left-hander Nestor Cortes, has already been placed on the 60-day injured list, offering no return on investment so far.
Murphy was well-known for his development and leadership abilities. He became the Brewers’ manager after Craig Counsell abruptly left for the Cubs after the 2023 season. In addition to his extensive baseball background, which includes a successful collegiate coaching career at Arizona State and Notre Dame, he was previously Milwaukee’s bench coach from 2016 to 2023. In 2015, Murphy also served as a temporary manager of the San Diego Padres.
Murphy is in his second season as an MLB manager, and he must contend with the front office’s financial constraints while maintaining a competitive squad as it transitions. Murphy, who is well-known for his openness and in-depth understanding of the game, expressed a rising conflict between corporate strategy and field management in his remarks.
Offense Looking for Answers; Hope Remains
The Brewers’ offense has been patchy, finishing close to the bottom of the league in both runs scored and team batting average. Veteran players like Christian Yelich are being pushed to take on too much, while young players like Jackson Chourio and Sal Frelick are still getting their bearings.
While Murphy tried to add a note of hopefulness in his comments, implying that the Brewers may find an unorthodox path to success, his words clearly underline a deeper frustration with the lack of investment.
Whether or not the Brewers can course-correct remains to be seen. But if this rough stretch continues, expect the heat to grow not just on the players, but on the decision-makers upstairs.