Brewers announce Pat Murphy as 20th manager in franchise history

After four decades in the coaching game, Pat Murphy is getting his first true shot at managing in the major leagues.

On Wednesday morning, the Milwaukee Brewers officially announced the 64-year-old as the 20^th manager in franchise history.

Murphy, who replaces the departed Craig Counsell, signed a three-year contract. The Brewers will introduce Murphy at a news conference at 11 a.m. CT Thursday.

“Pat Murphy brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and passion for the game of baseball as well as a familiarity with the Brewers organization, players, staff and culture,” general manager Matt Arnold said in a news release. “Pat has been a significant contributor in the run of recent seasons of unprecedented success in franchise history. We are pleased to have Pat remain in the Brewers family and excited to name him manager today.”

Also officially joining Murphy’s staff is former Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks, who has been named associate manager.

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Weeks, 41, was Milwaukee’s first-round pick in 2003 and played 11 years for the Brewers. He rejoined the organization in 2022 in a player-development role.

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“Rickie was a hard-nosed, homegrown player for the Brewers for many years and is now a valued member of our coaching staff,” Arnold said in the release. “We look forward to him bringing many of the attributes that he possessed as a player into the dugout in his new role.”

Joining Murphy and Weeks will be the entirety of the 2023 coaching staff, with several title changes included among the eight returnees.

Walker McKinven, entering his fifth season with Milwaukee, is now the team’s run prevention coordinator; Jim Henderson, entering his third season, has been named assistant pitching coach; and Nestor Corredor, entering his second season, becomes major-league field coordinator.

Also returning are pitching coach Chris Hook (sixth season), third-base coach Jason Lane (ninth season), first-base coach Quintin Berry (fourth season) and hitting coaches Ozzie Timmons and Connor Dawson (third seasons).

Murphy, meanwhile, ascends to the top spot in the dugout after spending the previous eight seasons as Counsell’s bench coach. He was named to that position on Nov. 2, 2015, replacing Jerry Narron.

Aside from filling in for Counsell for a pair of games with the Brewers in 2021 and 2023, Murphy’s only other previous managerial experience came in the 2015 season with the San Diego Padres, when he replaced the fired Bud Black on an interim basis on June 16.

He went 42-54 the rest of the way.

Murphy also managed in San Diego’s minor-league system, with stints at Class A Eugene (2011-2012), Class AAA Tucson (2013) and Class AAA El Paso (2014-2015), compiling a 273-230 record.

He joined the Padres organization in 2010 as special assistant to baseball operations.

Before joining the professional ranks, Murphy coached Maryville College (1983), Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges (1986-1987), the University of Notre Dame (1988-1994) and Arizona State University (1995-2009). He was an assistant coach at Florida Atlantic University in 1984 and 1985.

All told, Murphy compiled a 1,000-457-4 record as a college coach.

At Arizona State, Murphy went 629-284-1. He was named national coach of the year in 1998 after leading the Sun Devils to a national runner-up finish. He was also named Pac-10 coach of the year in 2000, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

At Notre Dame – where Murphy coached Counsell from 1989-1992 – he posted a 318-116-1 record while being named the Midwest Collegiate Conference’s coach of the year three times in 1989, 1990 and 1992.

A native of Syracuse, New York, and resident of Mesa, Arizona, Murphy has a daughter, Keli, and three sons, Kai, Austin and Jaxon.

Kai, is an outfielder in the Padres organization. Murphy is also the father-in-law of former major-leaguer Pedro Álvarez, who works for the Brewers in baseball operations and player development.

Murphy turns 65 on Nov. 28.