October 11, 2025
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
American Family Field
Milwaukee Brewers
Pregame 5 Press Conference
Q. How did you come to make the choice of Megill to open? And how many different permutations did you guys go through of who to send out first?
PAT MURPHY: The pitching guys, myself and Matt Arnold, we just sat in a room and just talked about the possibilities and considered a ton of factors, you know?
But we settled on Megill. He's going to pitch tonight, regardless. And the power of friendship. He started it all. We thought it would be a good way to start.
Q. Just in that regard, their decision to start Pomeranz, did that surprise you at all? Is that something you were expecting? From your perspective, what's made him as effective as he has been so far in the postseason?
PAT MURPHY: Big Pom, you go back to when we had him, when was that? '19. Big Pom was effective then. He threw in Atlanta, that decisive game, he threw two-plus innings.
He threw so good we let him hit in the game. We were leading and we let him hit in the game. That's how good he was throwing.
He's got the fastball that you don't see. It's got a little cut to it. He's really, really good.
Did I anticipate it? I didn't know how they were going to go. I didn't even think about it. I said we'll react to whatever.
Q. You guys are planning on potentially starting a reliever for a game like this. Do you weigh whether he's done it before? Because out of all the guys in that bullpen, Trevor is one of the guys who has started a bullpen game before.
PAT MURPHY: I think it's important that, one, it's not a guy that hasn't been in the big leagues or it's his first time in the big leagues and then he's never done it. That would be another hurdle.
But since Trevor has been in the big leagues and he has done it, that helped make that a more solid choice.
Q. Staying on Megill, obviously you're not going to want to throw a guy out in the first inning to give up runs, but given how the first inning has gone this season, or the series, does that make the decision to go to the guy that was your All-Star closer, did that have any impact on it, like, want it even stronger?
PAT MURPHY: One, we have confidence in Megill. Now, he hasn't thrown the ball the way he was when he was closing yet. I think we'll see a good version of him. But he wasn't going to close the game tonight because he just hasn't worked back in that form. But, yeah, all that adds into it.
Q. Going into the game, do you have an idea about how you want to choreograph it if it goes to what your thought process might be? In other words, do you know who two, three and four would be?
PAT MURPHY: It's kind of like an equation. If so-and-so needs to be rescued, this is the best rescue guy there in this pocket. If he gets through it, here's the best guy to open the second, based on where we ended. And then you play it out from there.
So there's an equation and there's an "if this, then this; if no, then this." It's trying to thread the needle, which we've had to do a lot this year, and it's worked out. Yeah, this is no different.
Q. You guys were in this position last year with an elimination game in the Wild Card round. Most of the same group returning this year. What do you think that group learned in that experience that should help tonight?
PAT MURPHY: You know, we talked about it. We talked about it the last day of the season, after the game last year, that somehow that experience will help us. Don't know how, you know what I mean? But somehow that experience will help us.
It's not like we broke down and did something wrong; it's just that we had one guy that could not execute pitches, and we had the Mets hot. And they were great, especially in that last inning.
But there's something to be learned from it. It's not over until it's over, and you've got to play it all the way.
So I think it will help us. And we mentioned it again today, just a little piece of, hey, remember those feelings and remember that awareness that you gotta have. You've gotta get all the outs, whether it's 27, or you saw in the game last night, 48 or whatever it was.
Q. We hear about home-field advantage, and we saw it in this series thus far. What are you expecting out of the fans tonight?
PAT MURPHY: The fans will be great. I think that the fans have embraced this team from the beginning, actually. I mean, you think about our 0-4 start with the biggest run differential in I don't know how many years. And they kind of kept an eye on us. Then we start going and they start showing.
And just the number of sellouts this year, I don't know what the record is -- I don't keep track of all that -- but it just seemed like, wow, kids are back in school and it's a Wednesday night, and wow.
It's been wonderful the way they've supported us. So hopefully -- not hopefully -- I'm certain they'll be out there tonight.
Q. You worked with Quintin Berry for years. How do you describe the impact he made while he was here?
PAT MURPHY: Yeah, Q is special. That's why -- Couns work with him, too, here -- and that's why Couns went and got him. He's really convicted and he's really passionate about that area of the game. And he has a way with people. He impacts people.
He's a guy that players can relate to. He's very genuine, and I think he's really good at what he does. I don't want to say he's the best in the game because I don't know everybody else doing it. I just had my little experiences in 10 years, but he's really, really good.
Q. It might be too hard to kind of separate out, his influence versus Counsell's influence, but is there anything from watching from the other side the way you watch this Cubs team run the bases where you say, that feels like it has Q's fingerprints on it?
PAT MURPHY: They have very good -- I don't want to take anything away from the coaching profession because that's all I do -- but the Cubs have some very good base runners. But you can see that there's an emphasis on it and that you can see Q's influence and Couns' influence, because ultimately Couns is the one that okays that we're going to play this game that way.
Q. In a winner-take-all game like this, how do you and your staff balance maybe doing things a little bit differently if you need to, given the situation, but also knowing that you also want to trust what got you there and the things you've done that have made you successful throughout the season and postseason?
PAT MURPHY: Great question, the balance of all that, but then there's the urgency of there isn't tomorrow if you don't get more runs than the other team today.
So you've got to risk a little bit more at times. You have to be a little bit -- so I tell the players, we're not going to change anything. The steps are the same, but you have to be a little bit open to growth. So you may end up in a spot you didn't think you'd be in, but you're certainly prepared for it. I mean, you're certainly capable of performing here.
So, yeah, that's an earlier pinch-hit or insertion into the game earlier or playing a position that you haven't played as much, because we were maybe behind in the game and had to pinch-hit, now you're in this situation. Those things happen.
Ultimately, you hope the group that you put out there can get it done without that. But these things come up.
Q. I don't know if you had the ability to watch the game last night. Did you get a chance?
PAT MURPHY: What was my incapacity? Was I incapacitated? I don't drink, you know that.
Q. You have young children. You have other obligations, but just curious --
PAT MURPHY: They were watching too. They went to bed at midnight.
Q. What did you think?
PAT MURPHY: What did I think?
Q. Yeah.
PAT MURPHY: Yeah, it's way easier to manage from the couch. (Laughter.) It was a great ball game. I'm a Skubal fan. I love his quirkiness and greatness and what I see as his authenticity. So I'm a big Skubal fan. I thought he pitched outstanding.
Seattle has a special thing going on. That's cool for the whole city. And I respect their team, both teams, but I watch it from the standpoint of -- I don't care who wins or loses. I've got friends everywhere there. But, yeah, it's amazing how -- and it gave me some ideas even today, you can see guys trying to get a result instead of just play the pitch.
It's easy to say, but I think the worst possible outcome in these games is not just a loss. The worst possible outcome is the regret of not being able to find your focus and be in the right mindset.
That regret is maybe even worse than the loss, because the loss can happen -- you can play good and lose. But find your best self in there.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports


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