MILWAUKEE -- On a night with few highlights in another shutout -- this time a 7-0 loss -- outfielder Sal Frelick flashed his fielding talents in an eventful third inning against the Twins at American Family Field on Saturday evening.
Frelick was convinced he had taken away a hit when he appeared to make a spectacular diving catch of a line shot in the gap off the bat of Ty France with no outs and runners on the corners. Frelick launched himself into the air near the warning track in right-center field with his left arm fully extended as the ball nestled into his glove. But as Frelick crashed hard to the ground, his glove slipped off and the ball squirted out, falling to the turf for a hit.
Ryan Jeffers scampered home to give the Twins a 3-0 lead as Frelick stood in disbelief at the outcome.
Shaking off the disappointment, Frelick got right back into the action when the very next batter, Kody Clemens, laced a single to right. The hard-charging Frelick fielded the ball and unleashed a perfect throw to catcher William Contreras to cut down Brooks Lee, who tried to score from second, keeping the Brewers' deficit at three runs.
Manager Pat Murphy praised Frelick for his effort in the field.
“The kid’s a winning player. He’s not swinging the bat great [right now], but don’t anybody question whether that guy represents us the way he needs to,” Murphy said.
First baseman Rhys Hoskins -- who had one of three Milwaukee hits on the night with a seventh-inning single against reliever Justin Topa -- said Frelick’s hustle is indicative of the effort the team is giving despite the recent struggles that have left the team four games below .500 for the first time since starting the season 0-4.
“That’s part of how we play,” Hoskins said. “Regardless of whether or not you’re getting results, the effort should and always is going to be there. And if it’s not, you don’t find yourself here. That’s just turning your back on your teammates and the organization. You can’t have that in the big leagues.”
The Brewers were done in partly by a rough outing from Tobias Myers, the team’s most valuable pitcher last season. Myers was optioned on Sunday, but was called back up to the Majors on Wednesday after fellow starting pitcher Jose Quintana was placed on the 15-day IL with a left shoulder impingement. Myers took Quintana's place in the starting rotation on Saturday in a whirlwind week for the 26-year-old right-hander, who went 9-6 with a 3.00 ERA in his rookie season in 2024.
Myers (1-1) was tagged for 11 hits and four runs in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four and didn’t walk a batter in the 71-pitch outing. Myers gave up a run in each inning, including a solo homer to Jeffers in the first.
“They had a really good game plan,” Myers said of the Twins' attack. “They made me pay for the mistakes I made. My goal was to fill the zone up and get away from those walks that I’ve been dealing with. I just filled it up a little bit too much.”
Myers got a vote of confidence from Murphy before the game.
“I think he’s a huge part of the future. I love this kid,” Murphy said. “He was so good for us last year so many times. He hasn’t been [bad this season]. We just expect that kid that we saw.”
Myers didn’t shoulder all the blame, however. With the offense stagnant, the Brewers were shut out for the sixth time this season -- all coming this month, including four times in the last five games.
“The only thing you can do is prepare for tomorrow. It’s a hard game,” Hoskins said. “We stink right now as an offense. That’s just the reality. But we know the type of talent that we have and we know the way we prepare.”