Brewers’ Murphy mulls moving Megill out of closer role

MILWAUKEE — Brewers manager Pat Murphy is leaving open the possibility he could at least temporarily consider other closing options due to Trevor Megill’s early-season struggles.

Megill, an All-Star last season, was booed by the American Family Field crowd while allowing three runs in the ninth inning of a 9-7, 10-innng loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday. The outing left Megill with a 14.40 ERA.

“I’m definitely way better than that,” Megill said. “Pitches can be a lot better. Pitch execution can be a lot better. A lot of things can be better.”

Murphy said afterward he may consider using someone else in the ninth inning, but noted that he didn’t want to decide that issue immediately after such an emotional loss.

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He also emphasized Megill shouldn’t be getting booed, particularly after the way the veteran right-hander performed last year. Megill came back from a late-season arm injury and earned the save in Milwaukee’s Game 5 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the NL Division Series.

“These aren’t machines out there,” Murphy said. “These are people. I thought that was in poor taste, but I’ve done things in poor taste, too.”

Megill has given up eight earned runs through five innings this season. Last year, he didn’t allow his eighth earned run until mid-June.

“Is he throwing the ball well? No,” Murphy said. “Is he giving up hard contact? Yes. Do they swing at it like they know it’s coming? Yes. But did the guy save 30 games for us last year. I think he did. My heart goes out to him right now. It bleeds for him. He’s feeling it.”

Megill entered Tuesday’s game with a 4-3 lead, but he opened the ninth by walking Eloy Jiménez and allowing a ground-rule double to Davis Schneider. Both runners eventually scored. Kazuma Okamoto and Ernie Clement had RBI singles off Megill.

The bullpen’s inability to protect a lead caused Milwaukee to lose its sixth straight, which represents its longest skid since 2023. The Brewers wasted a gutsy performance from Jacob Misiorowski, who overcame an illness to work 5 1/3 innings while allowing two runs.

One reason Murphy could stick with Megill in the closer’s role is because the right-hander had handled that assignment so effectively before this year. Megill had a combined 51 saves from 2024-25. He posted a 2.49 ERA with 60 strikeouts over 47 innings last year.

The Brewers also don’t have many great alternatives.

Abner Uribe was one of the game’s top setup men last season, but he also is off to a slow start. He has allowed three runs over his last two outings and has a 5.68 ERA after finishing last season at 1.67.

Jared Koenig, who had 27 holds and a 2.86 ERA last season, is on the injured list with an elbow issue.

Murphy took issue with the notation that the early-season struggles of these relievers is due to their heavy workload last year as the Brewers advanced to the NL Championship Series. Murphy noted that Megill, for instance, is throwing at a similar velocity as he did at this point last year.

Now, Murphy faces a hard decision as he decides whether to keep using Megill in that ninth-inning role.

“The way he’s throwing the ball now, he doesn’t deserve it,” Murphy said, “but he can earn it back.”