Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy had to be convinced that center fielder Garrett Mitchell belonged on the big-league roster.
Mitchell provided a strong case in Milwaukee’s doubleheader split with the host Kansas City Royals on Saturday. The Brewers will vie for a series win on Sunday afternoon.
Mitchell was 2-for-4 with a run, a double, a home run and five RBIs in Milwaukee’s 5-2 victory in the opener of the doubleheader. He went 1-for-4 with an RBI double in an 8-2 setback in the nightcap.
“I was the first one to believe that Garrett wasn’t ready,” Murphy said. “He had a poor result in spring training but he was healthy. It was really the front office that was adamant that this guy could be our best player in a lot of ways.
“I was skeptical, I thought (Mitchell) didn’t have enough at-bats and had been out for a long time. But the front office convinced me that it was the right thing to do to have him on our team. He’d done OK so far in the first six or seven games. But today was a showcase of what he can do and that is pretty special.”
After an oblique strain and shoulder injury forced him to miss most of the 2025 season, Mitchell is looking for a return to the form of his 2024 rookie campaign.
Mitchell had a .255 batting average, .342 on base percentage and .469 slugging percentage to go along with eight homers and 21 RBIs in 69 games in 2024.
After contributing three extra-base hits in the doubleheader, Mitchell was confident he can continue to string together quality at-bats.
“There’s nothing better than being back out here with the boys and playing,” he said. “Home run or not, that’s not what I am looking for, I’m just trying to put together some good at-bats. But I really like the way I am swinging it right now.”
The Brewers are expected to call on Kyle Harrison (0-0, 1.80 ERA) to get the start, while the Royals are set to counter with fellow left-hander Kris Bubic (1-0, 1.50).
Harrison allowed one run on four hits and struck out eight batters in five innings of a no-decision against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. He allowed one run on one hit in 1 1/3 innings in relief without getting a decision in his lone career encounter versus Kansas City.
Bubic yielded one run on two hits in six innings of a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday.
He has yet to allow an earned run in three career meetings with Milwaukee. He is 1-1 with 19 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings versus the Brewers.
The Royals’ pitching staff has had its hands full with the Brewers’ potent offense.
“With all things we want high quality,” Mitchell said. “We want to put together long innings; that’s Brewers’ baseball.”
Kansas City sent 12 batters to the plate — including nine with two outs — in the sixth inning of the nightcap.
“It was pretty good to see the offense come to life,” Royals catcher Salvador Perez said. “I just try to do my job every night to help my team win. Today is over, we have to concentrate on tomorrow, go get in a quick recovery and get ready.”
–Field Level Media
