The Milwaukee Brewers have made quite a first impression, beginning the 2024 season with a statement-making 4-1 record. With the surprising fast start as they defended their National League Central title, these Brewers joined exclusive company in the team annals dating back to 1970, winning their first four games for the first time in 18 years and accomplishing the feat for only the fourth time in franchise history. This year’s squad joins the memorable teams of 1978 (5-0), 1987 (13-0) and 2006 (5-0).
Brewers Off to Surprising Fast Start
Smooth Transition to Murphy Era
It’s been a seemingly smooth, stable transition for a young and hungry Brewers club. This is despite being faced with a shocking, highly publicized offseason managerial change, a controversial trade of 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner and pitching ace Corbin Burnes, and also the adversity created by several key injuries suffered before the regular season opener.
Craig Counsell, the winningest manager in franchise history, stepped down after nine seasons at the helm, finishing with a 707-625 overall record (.531 winning percentage) highlighted by five postseason appearances and three division titles. His successful but highly scrutinized tenure with the Brewers culminated in a 92-70 record last year, a division crown, and a disappointing, season-ending sweep to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL Wild Card Series. Counsell abruptly signed on to become manager of the fierce intra-division rival Chicago Cubs for a league-high five-year, $40 million deal.
Pat Murphy, the team’s bench coach for the past eight seasons, was promoted and officially named Brewers manager on Nov. 15, 2023, becoming the 20th skipper in team history. Milwaukee finished above .500 (16-15 overall record) in a character-building spring training, which included the devastating losses of veteran all-star closer Devin Williams and projected starting center fielder Garrett Wilson to injury.
“I feel bad for the guys who are injured,” said Murphy in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Curt Hogg on the final day of spring training March 25. “It does seem like we’re shorthanded but I believe in the group. That’s all there is to it. It’s a super bunch of guys that I think the fans are going to fall in love with. We’re going to play hard and compete. Be careful. Because they just might believe themselves into contention.”
Following a few tweaks to the starting lineup, the team answered with a season-opening road series sweep over the New York Mets followed by a home-field series split with the Minnesota Twins, highlighted by an energized Opening Day victory at American Family Field.
Chourio Provides Spark
Following in the footsteps and tradition of esteemed Brewer legend and first-ballot National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Robin Yount, highly touted No. 2-ranked prospect Jackson Chourio has embraced the challenge of competing as the youngest player in Major League Baseball. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound fleet-footed outfielder signed an eight-year, $82 million contract and has responded in kind by living up to those lofty expectations. Chourio, 20, has seven hits in five games, including his first major league home run in Milwaukee’s lone loss to the Minnesota Twins. He currently has a .350 batting average and proudly assumed the title as the youngest Brewer to homer since Gary Sheffield (1988) and the youngest in the majors since Juan Soto (2018).
Jackson Chourio showed off the raw power with an opposite-field blast for his first Big League homer!@markdero7 takes a look at the @Brewers electric rookie and the early impact he’s making.#MLBCentral | #ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/WVeJ0s70oY
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 4, 2024
Promising Outlook
With the resurgence of 2018 NL Most Valuable Player Christian Yelich, All-Star No. 1 pitcher Freddy Peralta, All-Star catcher William Contreras, the addition of power-hitting first-baseman Rhys Hoskins and continued development of an energetic, young group of players, the future appears bright for the Brewers.
The 157 games remaining on the schedule will undoubtedly test the team’s depth, chemistry, and experience in a big way. If the first five games are any indication of things to come, it could be a surprising, exhilarating thrill ride for fans each step of the way.
Photo Credit: © Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
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