MILWAUKEE (AP) 鈥� Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy is leaving open the possibility he could at least temporarily consider other closing options due to Trevor Megill鈥檚 early-season struggles.
Megill, an last season, was booed by the American Family Field crowd while allowing three runs in the ninth inning of a to the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday. The outing left Megill with a 14.40 earned run average.
鈥淚鈥檓 definitely way better than that,鈥� Megill said. 鈥淧itches can be a lot better. Pitch execution can be a lot better. A lot of things can be better.鈥�
Murphy said afterward he may consider using someone else in the ninth inning, but noted that he didn鈥檛 want to decide that issue immediately after such an emotional loss.
He also emphasized Megill shouldn鈥檛 be getting booed, particularly after the way the veteran right-hander performed last year. Megill came back from a and earned the save in Milwaukee鈥檚 over the Chicago Cubs in the NL Division Series.
鈥淭hese aren鈥檛 machines out there,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淭hese are people. I thought that was in poor taste, but I鈥檝e done things in poor taste, too.鈥�
Megill has given up eight earned runs through five innings this season. Last year, he didn鈥檛 allow his eighth earned run until mid-June.
鈥淚s he throwing the ball well? No,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淚s he giving up hard contact? Yes. Do they swing at it like they know it鈥檚 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鈥檚 feeling it.鈥�
Megill entered Tuesday’s game with a 4-3 lead, but he opened the ninth by walking Eloy Jim茅nez 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檛 have many great alternatives.
Abner Uribe was one of the game鈥檚 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 takes 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.
鈥淭he way he鈥檚 throwing the ball now, he doesn鈥檛 deserve it,鈥� Murphy said, 鈥渂ut he can earn it back.鈥�
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