Garrett Mitchell hit a personal benchmark in Philadelphia, but the Brewers center fielder made it clear the number itself is not what matters most.
When Mitchell led off Milwaukee’s series finale against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, he logged his 142nd game of the season. That pushed him past the total he had played across his first four Major League seasons combined, a reminder of how many fluke injuries had slowed the 2020 first-round Draft pick before this year.
“Being healthy was the goal, and being available for 140 games,” Mitchell said. “Now, I’ve played in 142 today.
So, I feel like each day is a milestone in terms of being healthy. It’s just a cool nugget.
I’m thankful for it.
“But that’s not what I’m thinking about at this point of the year.”
At this stage, Mitchell and the Brewers are focused on October, and he has been central to that push. His defense in center field and his production at the plate have made him an important piece of the lineup, and his 3.6 bWAR ranks third on the team.
Keeping him on the field has not been simple, especially with Type 1 diabetes adding another layer to the daily grind. Day games after a stretch of night games can be tricky, and Mitchell has sometimes been scratched when his body just has not cooperated. He has also worked with team performance dietician Adam Auer, who travels with the club, to fine-tune his eating habits and reduce those issues.
“I hadn’t played enough games, hadn’t gone through a whole year where you start to see the times you need to dial things in a little bit more,” Mitchell said. “It’s like everything else in life, you’re going to have ups and downs.
“One thing I’ve prioritized this year is trying to eat more, so my body can deal with the long days. It comes down to fueling your body enough for your muscles to perform at a high level, but at the same time, it’s figuring out how to properly fuel so my blood sugar isn’t all over the place. We’re figuring out what to eat and what not to eat.
“I wouldn’t say it adds difficulty. I would say it’s just another layer. I’ve dealt with it most of my life, and diabetic or not, everybody has their stuff they deal with.”
Mitchell has also embraced speaking openly about those health challenges because of the example it sets for younger athletes with diabetes. He said he has met some of them before games this season, and he views those conversations as part of the bigger picture.
“It’s great being able to share those stories of the ups and the downs,” he said. “Because as fun as it is to talk about the ups, it’s important to put a light on the challenges.
I’m not going to be the last one in this situation. There are a lot of diabetic baseball players on their way to doing the same thing.”
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