Brewers’ Pat Murphy reveals why William Contreras is actually underrated after NLCS Game 2 win appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
William Contreras was the driving force behind the Milwaukee Brewers’ 7-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday, and manager Pat Murphy believes his catcher still does not get enough credit.
Contreras went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI as Milwaukee took a 2-0 series lead, the first time the franchise has ever led a best-of-seven series 2-0. His 436-foot solo shot off Kris Bubic tied the game in the fifth, and his first-pitch single in the sixth brought home David Hamilton with the go-ahead run.
After the game, Murphy was asked when he first realized Milwaukee had landed a special player.
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“Well, you watch him compete every night and you watch him go about the business,” Murphy said. “There’s nobody that wants it more. I mean, the first year he was here, he literally wanted to catch every game.”
Pat Murphy on @Brewers catcher William Contreras:
"There's nobody that wants it more. He's underrated."
📺 MLB Network pic.twitter.com/MxSPpBy1bv
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 13, 2026
Murphy said Contreras was “ticked” any time he was used as the designated hitter instead of behind the plate.
“This kid wants it. He doesn’t believe in days off. He doesn’t believe in being injured. He played one year with a broken hand,” Murphy said. “And it’s not enough for him to make the All-Star team. He wants to excel. He wants it all.”
In May 2025, Contreras was found to have a fractured middle finger on his left hand, and he kept catching through it.
“Forget even the offensive production, which was incredible. Four quality at-bats,” Murphy said. “But the defense and just calling the game, working with four or five different pitchers, whatever we threw out there. He does it every night. I mean, this guy, he’s underrated.”
That work behind the plate showed. Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby retired all 15 Dodgers they faced, lowering Milwaukee’s bullpen ERA this postseason to 0.31.
The Brewers acquired Contreras from the Atlanta Braves in a three-team trade with the Athletics at the 2022 Winter Meetings. Walt Weiss, then Atlanta’s bench coach, told Murphy that Milwaukee was getting a future star.
Contreras and the Brewers will look to take a 3-0 lead when the series shifts to Dodger Stadium for Game 3 on Wednesday.
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