Pat Murphy has been many things in his life. An amateur boxer, a college football player, a minor-league pitcher and a small-school coach who went on to lead an elite college program at Arizona State. Now 65, Murphy on Tuesday was named the National League’s Manager of the Year after his first full season at the helm of a major-league club.
Murphy received 27 of 30 first-place votes from members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America to finish with 144 points, ahead of Mike Shildt of the San Diego Padres (70 points, one first-place vote) and New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (35 points, one first-place vote). He became the first manager in Milwaukee Brewers history to become the BBWAA’s Manager of the Year, an award established in 1983.
Murphy’s baseball journey went from dominance at Arizona State to a winding path through the minor leagues, managing short-season A ball in 2011 and eventually becoming interim manager of the San Diego Padres by 2015. Murphy did not get that Padres job, and instead headed to Milwaukee, where he became the bench coach under Craig Counsell, who played for Murphy at Notre Dame.
After Counsell departed for a lucrative deal with the Chicago Cubs in the winter of 2023, Murphy emerged as the top candidate to take over the Brewers, a team in baseball’s smallest media market with a reputation for punching above its weight. The Brewers did that as much as ever under Murphy’s guidance. With a stern jaw and a demeanor that can be intense, encouraging, hilarious and inspiring all at once, Murphy helped guide a young team toward 93 wins and a division title.
The Brewers did all this despite various injuries to key players such as Brandon Woodruff, Devin Williams and Christian Yelich. Catcher William Contreras, shortstop Willy Adames and rookie outfielder Jackson Chourio had superb seasons, but what Murphy’s Brewers otherwise lacked in name recognition they made up for in scrappiness.
Milwaukee’s relievers covered the third-most innings of any National League club and posted an NL-best 3.11 ERA. In the field, only the Los Angeles Dodgers had more team defensive runs saved. On the basepaths, the Brewers finished second in stolen bases and ranked near the top in a plethora of base running metrics.
The Brewers’ underdog run ended with a crushing loss to the New York Mets in the National League Wild Card Series, but Milwaukee nonetheless staged a remarkable season in Murphy’s first season as a full-time manager.
Long before the votes, due ahead of the playoffs, were cast, Murphy stood alone as a clear favorite to win an award he has worked toward his entire life.
(Photo of Murphy: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)
