Brewers' Murphy explains pulling Frelick, Durbin: 'Set the standard'

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy explained why he decided to remove Sal Frelick and Caleb Durbin from Saturday's 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

"They're two of our tougher guys," Murphy said postgame, per Brewers reporter Sophia Minnaert. "And I think you've got to set the standard with those type (of) guys."

Durbin was picked off at second base with the Brewers trailing 5-1 in the fifth inning.

As adeptly pointed out by @katiejwoo , #STLCards catcher Pedro Pagés called for this pickoff play by wiggling his catcher's mitt. Sonny Gray picked up on that and then picked #Brewers third baseman and Washington University product Caleb Durbin off second base. pic.twitter.com/jhLr4VOAsP
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) April 26, 2025

Frelick missed the cutoff man on a throw from the outfield in the fourth inning, allowing Lars Nootbaar to take second base on an RBI single.

(Video source: MLB.com)

"These are young players, and they've got to know there's consequences for not playing right, or playing sloppy," Murphy said, according to Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The Brewers have lost four straight games to fall to 13-15 on the season.

"We got benched, and it stinks," Frelick said, according to Rosiak. "But, yeah, you've got to make an example sometimes, and I think me and Caleb understand that. I just, I made a terrible throw. I was supposed to hit the cut, and just not a good throw."