Garrett Mitchell gave the Milwaukee Brewers exactly the kind of night that turns a strong season into a statement, and Pat Murphy made it clear afterward that he thinks the center fielder deserves more than just applause.
Milwaukee’s 4-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night pushed the Brewers to 53-21, and Mitchell was right at the center of it. He finished 4-for-4 with two doubles, a triple, and the go-head RBI late in the game. It was a career-high four hits, and it came in his 74th game of the season, which is also the most he has played in any year of his career.
That matters because the player Milwaukee is seeing now is the version everyone has been waiting on. Mitchell’s path has been battered by injuries, keeping him from building any real momentum over the last four seasons. This year, though, he has finally been on the field enough to show what he can do.
Murphy said after the game that he never expected Mitchell to reach this point, but now that he has, the manager believes the recognition should follow. According to Adam McCalvy, Murphy said, “If this isn’t the Comeback Player of the Year.
I mean, this is four years. It’s not just missing a year.
You’ve missed four years because of major injuries, and to have him come back and play like this is just amazing.”
Mitchell’s production backs that up. He is hitting .264/.359/.441 with six home runs and 39 RBI, and he has also been exceptional defensively in center field.
If he keeps swinging the bat the way he has over the last couple of weeks - including against lefties, as he did Wednesday night - Milwaukee only becomes more dangerous. And Mitchell could also line himself up for a much bigger payday than the $900,000 salary he agreed to in order to avoid arbitration this year.
In Other News...
National Analyst Just Validated 4 Brewers Fans Know Were Overlooked
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Ken Rosenthal stepped into that gap by naming four Brewers he believes belong on the All-Star roster: Jacob Misiorowski, Kyle Harrison, William Contreras and Brice Turang. He also flagged Jake Bauers, Jackson Chourio and Trevor Megill as players who could still merit consideration, with Chourios delayed start after a fractured hand serving as one obvious reason his case has been harder to build in the public eye. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Suddenly Face A Roster Decision On A Familiar Pitcher
Jake Woodfords return to the Brewers organization has already taken another turn, and this one puts Milwaukee in a familiar roster bind. The right-handed reliever, who was previously designated for assignment and later came back on a minor league contract after clearing waivers, has struggled to get much traction this season in either the majors or at Triple-A Nashville.
Now Woodford is using the opt-out in that deal, which leaves the Brewers with a choice to make on a pitcher they already know well. If they decide not to add him back to the big league roster, the situation could quickly shift again, and Milwaukee would have to decide whether there is any value in keeping the door open or moving on entirely. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Prospect Just Made A Return Few Fans Saw Coming
After months of uncertainty, a Brewers pitching prospect finally got back on a mound in game action, a small but meaningful step after a car crash earlier in the year left his baseball future in doubt. Milwaukee gave him full clearance last week, and his first appearance came in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, where he was able to take the ball and begin the process of turning a frightening setback into a return to routine.
The outing was not spotless, as he allowed a run in his first inning, but the larger story was simply getting him back into professional baseball at all. Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said the journey had been scary and expressed gratitude for seeing him back on the mound, a sentiment that fit the moment more than any box score line could. [Read more 🡒]