The Milwaukee Brewers rolled to the best record in baseball with a hard-charging, fundamentally sound, small-ball-loving roster.
That's all a reflection of Brewers manager Pat Murphy, a baseball lifer who got his chance in Milwaukee after Craig Counsell — a Murphy acolyte — departed for the Chicago Cubs in 2023.
Murphy already had the love of the Brewers' players since he joined the franchise as Counsell's bench coach in 2015. But the manager has captured national attention the past three seasons thanks to the Brewers' success ... and Murphy's endearing habit of pulling out unusual snacks from his pocket during games.
Here's what to know about Brewers manager Pat Murphy:
Has Pat Murphy ever won National League manager of the year?
Yes, Murphy has won NL manager of the year the past two seasons. He's the only Brewers manager to win the award, which is given out by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
What other major-league teams has Murphy managed?
Murphy had an interim stint as the skipper of the San Diego Padres in 2015 after Bud Black was fired in June. Under Murphy, the Padres went 42-54 and he wasn't retained, freeing him to join Counsell in Milwaukee.
What's the relationship between Craig Counsell and Pat Murphy?
Counsell, a former Whitefish Bay High School standout, went to play for Murphy at Notre Dame in 1989.
Counsell played four seasons for the Fighting Irish, soaking up Murphy's knowledge, before a long career as an MLB player and manager. Murphy also was the manager at Arizona State and in the Padres' minor-league organization.
So what's the deal with Pat Murphy and pocket pancakes?
Murphy had a viral moment during an AppleTV+ broadcast of a Brewers game in August 2025 when, during a midgame interview, he pulled out a pancake from his back pocket.
The Brewers leaned into the bit, holding a Pocket Pancake Breakfast for Brewers fans in September.
In another game, Murphy produced a quesadilla during a chat but that didn't capture widespread attention like the pancake.
How old is Pat Murphy?
Murphy is 67 years old.
Pat Murphy record
Murphy has been very successful with the Brewers. In three seasons, he has gone 293-193 with NL Central championships each season and the 2026 NL pennant.
Pat Murphy contract status
In February, Murphy signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him managing the Brewers through at least the 2028 season.
Who are the children at Pat Murphy's press conferences?
Murphy has two young sons, Austin and Jaxon. They regularly join Murphy at his news conferences.
Murphy also has an older son, Kai, who's a professional baseball player in the San Diego Padres organization, and a daughter, Keli, who's married to former MLB player Pedro Alvarez.
More: The untold football story of Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy
Pat Murphy survived heart attack with Brewers
Murphy suffered a heart attack at the start of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, then rejoined the team a month later.
“I didn’t believe for one second that I wasn’t coming back (to them),” Murphy said after his return. “Maybe that’s a testament to attitude. I just didn’t have time for that. I’ve got young ones.
“I told the guy in the ambulance, ‘Bro, don’t start asking me about next of kin and organ donation because that ain’t happening for 20 or 30 years.’”
Pat Murphy is a big Bruce Springsteen fan
Murphy has talked about his love of Springsteen's music and why it resonates with him.
"I'm not a connoisseur of music, necessarily, or know anything about it," Murphy said. "I can't carry a tune or play an instrument. But this guy just speaks to me, man.
"I didn't grow up on that type of music, but it's just amazing."
Murphy even got a surprise FaceTime call from Springsteen before Game 1 of the World Series.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Who is Pat Murphy? What to know about the Milwaukee Brewers manager
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