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Brewers Writer Reveals Major Decision Pat Murphy Must Make In Postseason

This is something Murphy is going to have to figure out.
Sep 17, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA;  Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) reacts after striking out in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Sep 17, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) reacts after striking out in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

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The Milwaukee Brewers have punched their ticket to the postseason for the seventh time in the last eight years and clinched their fourth National League Central crown in the last five years. They overcame the losses of Willy Adames and Devin Williams in the offseason and pulled off one of their best seasons in recent memory. Not a lot was expected out of the Brewers after those losses.

They have also dealt with a lot of injuries lately, and had issues right from the start when Blake Perkins went down. They were forced to move Jackson Chourio to center field to make up for the loss of Perkins.

With Perkins back though, the Brewers have some decisions to make, and Tyler Koerth of Reviewing the Brew outlined the biggest one manager Pat Murphy is going to have to make.

Pat Murphy Has Major Decision To Make For Postseason

Pat Murphy
Sep 19, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy (49) looks on prior to a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

"Early on in the season, the Brewers were forced to place Jackson Chourio in center field, afterGarrett Mitchell went out with a season-ending shoulder injury and Blake Perkins wasn't available until mid-July following a right leg fracture sustained in Spring Training that took longer to heal than expected," Koerth wrote.

"Initially, there were some growing pains, but Chourio has shown he can handle center field while continuing to be a major asset at the plate and on the basepaths. That said, left field appears to be a more natural fit for him and better aligns with Milwaukee’s optimal outfield alignment. Perkins is undoubtedly the superior defender in center, which is not a knock on Chourio, but rather a reflection of how elite Perkins is defensively."

Chourio has played well in center field, but Perkins is also an elite defender, so Murphy will have a tough decision to make regarding the position when the postseason comes around. It might be best for him to ultimately ride the hot hand and leave Chourio where he is. But there are a lot of options at his disposal, and it would be hard to go wrong with either choice.

It will certainly be interesting to see how the Brewers approach aligning their outfield in the postseason. There are a lot of ways they can go about it that could be beneficial to the team as they try to make a push for their first World Series title.

More MLB: Brewers' Magic Number Shrinking: How Milwaukee Can Clinch Home-Field Advantage


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Curt Bishop
CURT BISHOP

Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Communication and currently writes as a contributor for various platforms covering Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.

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