The Milwaukee Brewers rolled to the best record in baseball with a hard-charging, fundamentally sound, small-ball-loving roster.
That’s all a reflection of Brewers manager Pat Murphy, a baseball lifer who got his chance in Milwaukee after Craig Counsell — a Murphy acolyte — departed for the Chicago Cubs in 2023.
Murphy already had the love of the Brewers’ players since he joined the franchise as Counsell’s bench coach in 2015. But the manager captured national attention this season thanks to the Brewers’ success … and Murphy’s endearing habit of pulling out unusual snacks from his pocket during games.
Here’s what to know about Brewers manager Pat Murphy:
Has Pat Murphy ever won MLB manager of the year?
Yes, Murphy won manager of the year in November 2024 after leading the Brewers to a National League Central Division title with a 93-69 record. He’s the only Brewers manager to win the award, which is given out by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
What other major-league teams has Murphy managed?
Murphy had an interim stint as the skipper of the San Diego Padres in 2015 after Bud Black was fired in June. Under Murphy, the Padres went 42-54 and he wasn’t retained, freeing him to join Counsell in Milwaukee.
What’s the relationship between Craig Counsell and Pat Murphy?
Counsell, a former Whitefish Bay High School standout, went to play for Murphy at Notre Dame in 1989.
Counsell played four seasons for the Fighting Irish, soaking up Murphy’s knowledge, before a long career as an MLB player and manager. Murphy also was the manager at Arizona State and in the Padres’ minor-league organization.
So what’s the deal with Pat Murphy and pocket pancakes?
Murphy had a viral moment during an AppleTV+ broadcast of a Brewers game in August when, during a midgame interview, he pulled out a pancake from his back pocket.
The Brewers leaned into the bit, holding a Pocket Pancake Breakfast for Brewers fans in September.
In another game, Murphy produced a quesadilla during a chat but that didn’t capture widespread attention like the pancake.
How old is Pat Murphy?
Murphy is 66 years old.
Pat Murphy record
Murphy has been very successful with the Brewers. In two seasons, he has gone 190-134 with two NL Central championships.
Milwaukee went 1-2 in the playoffs against the New York Mets in Murphy’s first season.
Pat Murphy contract status
Murphy signed a three-year contract to become the Brewers’ manager in November 2023. It runs through the 2026 season.
Who are the children at Pat Murphy’s press conferences?
Murphy has two young sons, born in 2015 and 2019. Sometimes, they attend Murphy’s news conferences, most notably when one of them flanked Murphy when he accepted the manager of the year honor.
Murphy also has an older son, Kai, who’s a professional baseball player, and a daughter who’s married to former MLB player Pedro Alvarez.
Pat Murphy survived heart attack with Brewers
Murphy suffered a heart attack at the start of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, then rejoined the team a month later.
“I didn’t believe for one second that I wasn’t coming back (to them),” Murphy said after his return. “Maybe that’s a testament to attitude. I just didn’t have time for that. I’ve got young ones.
“I told the guy in the ambulance, ‘Bro, don’t start asking me about next of kin and organ donation because that ain’t happening for 20 or 30 years.’”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Who is Pat Murphy? What to know about Milwaukee Brewers manager
