NL DIVISION SERIES: CUBS VS BREWERS

October 9, 2025

Pat Murphy

Wrigley Field

Milwaukee Brewers

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Cubs 6, Brewers 0

Q. What did you make of Freddy's struggles in the first inning there today, and how did you think he was able to get it back on track as the game went along?

PAT MURPHY: Yeah, I thought it was one pitch in the first inning he'd take back. He had two outs, and he made a pitch too much down the middle and Happ has been really good for them, and yeah, credit Happ putting a good swing on it. He didn't really get to calibrate a fast ball, and credit him. But I thought Freddy did a nice job after that. It's a tough environment, and I thought Freddy got through it. I could have left him in, but we've got to be mindful he's in the 80s; where is that going to bring you.

Again, he's got to start for us Game 2, so...

Q. It looked like Freddy was trying to establish that changeup pretty early on in the first inning and he was struggling to get it to competitive spots. Did you think that contributed to some of the sequencing in the swings?

PAT MURPHY: Yeah, I think the two one pitch to Happ changed the game. Like the other stuff - the first inning is always the toughest for a pitcher, especially in environments like this and big games. First inning can always be the struggle.

I thought he navigated and had him in a good position. But hadn't shown him the heater yet. 2-1, got too much of the middle of the plate, and that really doomed his whole outing. Other than that, I thought he threw the ball really well and gave us a chance, kept him at bay. There was some momentum in the second inning and he kept him at bay and I thought did a really nice job.

Q. What did you see different from Boyd on the mound tonight and did you see anything different in you guys' approaches to him?

PAT MURPHY: Yeah, he was great. Boyd was fantastic. He made pitches. That's why they -- how much money did they give him?

Q. $39 million, something like that.

PAT MURPHY: He earned it tonight. He was great. He was on it. He didn't leave the ball down the middle. Made quality pitches in. Dropped his breaking ball in for a strike. Made pitches when he needed to. He was fabulous. And the catcher did a nice job for them, too.

Q. Murph, with two opponents that know each other so well, you're probably expecting some momentum swings in the series. You guys had the first two, they've had the next two. Going to a winner-take-all Game 5, how do you get the momentum back on your side?

PAT MURPHY: That's something that you can't force. Momentum in baseball happens based on what's on the field; know what I mean? The Cubs earned it. They had their backs against the wall, and they played great these last two games. They pitched great. They played great. They played great defense. They hit in the clutch. They hit homers.

Yeah, they're built to be great, and they played great these two games.

Hopefully the tables will turn when we get into Game 5 at our place. But we have to find out how bad we're going to fight back. We have all season.

This is not a team that has strung together a losing streak or anything like that. They've done it a number of different ways.

I admire our team. I have faith in our team. I think this had to happen this way. There will be no tougher environment to play in than they just did. This is a good prep for us, and I think we'll be ready to play. I'm certain we'll be ready to play in Game 5.

Q. You kind of just touched on it a little bit, being back in front of the home crowd, what you guys did in those first two games gives you a bit of an advantage going into a Game 5 like that?

PAT MURPHY: Well, it definitely is preferred. If you're asking me where I prefer to play, I'd rather say at home, especially how good this environment was the last two days.

I mean, it affected the game. This crowd affected the game the last two games. It affected the way we played for sure. We've got a really young team. I think everybody knows that. Maybe by far the youngest team in the postseason.

That kind of stuff emotionally can affect guys. They can start to play a little too hard. This game is a game of precision, and the Cubs' experience and what they've been through, they were better in this environment for sure.

Q. Murph, was there any consideration of hitting for Joey in the fifth inning, and can you break down the decision to bunt and the way you guys approached that situation?

PAT MURPHY: Yeah, we have a choice to make in the game, taking out a guy that's one of the best defensive shortstops. Obviously he did the job, and we didn't do the job after that. But he did a great job to put us in position. Early in the game, it's in the fourth inning, and who do you suggest we pinch-hit there; know what I mean? Then use two players, whoever we pinch-hit, use two players. Joey does a good job against Boyd. He had good at-bats against Boyd before, but I thought putting a bunt down and getting us on the board to get us going and we've got Yelly coming up and Yelly has hit Boyd well, too, and Boyd made great pitches in that at-bat.

Q. Would you prefer to have that day off tomorrow to kind of regroup or would you rather you were able to just get right back at it and wash this?

PAT MURPHY: No, I'd rather have the day off.

Q. Just what have you seen from your offense and just the approach the last couple of nights?

PAT MURPHY: What do you mean what have I seen?

Q. What can you take from the way your offense has -- just the guys at the plate and the approach the last couple nights?

PAT MURPHY: Well, we saw good pitching the last two nights, and they pitched very well against us. They pitched. It wasn't just overpowering stuff. They really pitched, and that gives every team problems. Those guys have been good against a lot of teams this year. That's why they won 90 games. In this environment with our young team, coming off two big victories, yeah, we didn't -- look, just as many positives in the first two games. The tables were turned here by a way more experienced team that played really good. When an experienced team plays really good, you're going to struggle.

It's not like we didn't try or we didn't play hard or -- that's baseball. That's why you play a series. We don't do -- now we're in a situation where we've got to bounce back, and I think we will. I like our team, and I think we'll bounce back.

Q. Have you decided on the starter for Game 5?

PAT MURPHY: No. No.