Milwaukee Brewers name bench coach Pat Murphy as manager, filling void left by departing Craig Counsell

The Milwaukee Brewers have announced that bench coach Pat Murphy will be assuming the managerial role for the 2023 season. With the move, the defending NL Central champs have put speculation regarding departing manager Craig Counsell's replacement to rest.

Murphy, a native of upstate New York, has been serving as the bench coach for the Brewers since 2016. Before that, Murphy spent half of the 2015 season managing the Padres after Bud Black was relieved of his duties halfway through the season.

"The Milwaukee Brewers make it official: Pat Murphy has been promoted from bench coach to manager, signing a 3-year contract. Rickie Weeks is the Brewers associate manager. Press conference Thursday" - Bob Nightengale

According to MLB analyst Bob Nightengale, the deal between Murphy and the Milwaukee Brewers will involve a three-year contract. The team is expected to hold a press conference on Thursday to officially announce the significant move.

A veteran of baseball at both the pro and college levels, Murphy got his start in coaching with Maryville College back in the early 1980s. He then joined Arizona State as a baseball coach in 1995, and led the team to four College World Series victories. Although Murphy signed a contract with the San Francisco Giants in 1982, the 64 year old never saw MLB action.

Murphy will be replacing Craig Counsell, who led the team to three NL Central titles since assuming the managerial role in 2015. On November 6, Counsell enraged Brewers fans after announcing his intent to manage the Chicago Cubs next season. Counsell's five-year, $40 million deal in Chicago will make him MLB's highest-paid manager next season.

"A new era starts now... Pat Murphy is officially the 20th manager of your Milwaukee Brewers!" - Milwaukee Brewers

The fact that Counsell's replacement was sourced from within the organization should is likely to be welcomed by Brewers fans. At the time of his departure, Counsell was held in high regard in Milwaukee, as he had played the last six season of his career with the team and grown up in nearby Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin.

Exciting times ahead for new Brewers manager Pat Murphy

Despite performing very well during the regular season in recent years, questions about the Brewers' playoff abilities has taken further hold in recent years. After 2023 saw the team fall to the last-seeded D-Backs in the Wild Card Series, fan patience is running low.

Pat Murphy will be expected to draw on his decades of coaching experience to make a lasting impact on one of the NL's most offensively potent teams.