Dec 9, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy speaks with the media during the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings at Signia by Hilton Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images Mike Watters-Imagn Images

What Pat Murphy Told Brewers’ New Pitcher After Trade

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Jan 28, 2026 9:25 AM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers completed a blockbuster trade last week, sending right-handers Freddy Peralta and Tobias Meyers to the New York Mets in exchange for top prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat. Sproat is a Major League ready starting pitcher and can slide right into Milwaukee's rotation at the start of the 2026 season.

With Peralta gone, Sproat may face the pressure of trying to replicate what the former Brewers' ace was able to do during his time in Milwaukee. However, Sproat joined MLB Network on Tuesday and shared an important message he received from manager Pat Murphy about preparing for 2026.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

Pat Murphy's welcome message to Sproat

"He called me and he was like, 'hey man, congratulations. We're super excited to have you. When you get here, don't try to be anything that you're not. There's a reason you're here. Just be yourself,'" Sproat said.

Sproat was one of the Mets' top pitching prospects, and he even made his Major League debut in 2025. However, the message from Murphy was simple. The Brewers' skipper doesn't want his new right-hander to try to be something he is not.

Rather, he just wants to see what Sproat can do and is excited to have him as part of the team's rotation in 2026. That should be a weight off of the right-hander's shoulders as he prepares for the new season and steps into his role with his new team.

But Murphy has won back-to-back National League Manager of the Year awards, in large part due to him being able to keep the Brewers at the top of the NL Central despite the front office trading players away before they enter the final year of their contracts.

Sproat is still under control for several more years, so the Brewers won't have to worry about that anytime soon for him, but Murphy's message to his new right-hander is clear and helpful.

Murphy has been praised for being a player's manager, and he is already living up to that reputation before the 2026 season has even started. This should take a lot of pressure off of Sproat as he prepares for the new season.

We'll see what he can do as part of the Brewers' rotation and if he can help Milwaukee stay in first place.

This article first appeared on Milwaukee Brewers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: