
Spoelstra: No need to penalize Ball any further
Erik Spoelstra supports no further penalties for LaMelo Ball after flagrant foul.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy is considering alternative closing options due to Trevor Megill's struggles, highlighted by a poor performance that led to booing from fans. Megill currently has a 14.40 ERA and has given up eight earned runs in five innings this season.
MILWAUKEE (AP) â Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy is leaving open the possibility he could at least temporarily consider other closing options due to Trevor Megillâs early-season struggles. Megill, an All-Star last season, was booed by the American Family Field crowd while allowing three runs in the ninth inning of a 9-7, 10-innng loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday. The outing left Megill with a 14.40 earned run average. âIâm definitely way better than that,â Megill said. âPitches can be a lot better. Pitch execution can be a lot better. A lot of things can be better.â Murphy said afterward he may consider using someone else in the ninth inning, but noted that he didnât want to decide that issue immediately after such an emotional loss. He also emphasized Megill shouldnât be getting booed, particularly after the way the veteran right-hander performed last year. Megill came back from a late-season arm injury and earned the save in Milwaukeeâs Game 5 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the NL Division Series. âThese arenât machines out there,â Murphy said. âThese are people. I thought that was in poor taste, but Iâve done things in poor taste, too.â Megill has given up eight earned runs through five innings this season. Last year, he didnât allow his eighth earned run until mid-June. âIs he throwing the ball well? No,â Murphy said. âIs he giving up hard contact? Yes. Do they swing at it like they know itâs coming? Yes. But did the guy save 30 games for us last year. I think he did. My heart goes out to him right now. It bleeds for him. Heâs feeling it.â Megill entered Tuesday's game with a 4-3 lead, but he opened the ninth by walking Eloy JimĂ©nez and allowing a ground-rule double to Davis Schneider. Both runners eventually scored. Ernie Clement delivered a two-out RBI single later in the inning. The bullpenâs inability to protect a lead caused Milwaukee to lose its sixth straight, which represents its longest skid since 2023. The Brewers wasted a gutsy performance from Jacob Misiorowski, who overcame an illness to work 5 1/3 innings while allowing two runs. One reason Murphy could stick with Megill in the closerâs role is because the right-hander had handled that assignment so effectively before this year. Megill had a combined 51 saves from 2024-25. He posted a 2.49 ERA with 60 strikeouts over 47 innings last year. The Brewers also donât have many great alternatives. Abner Uribe was one of the gameâs top setup men last season, but he also is off to a slow start. He has allowed three runs over his last two outings and has a 5.68 ERA after finishing last season at 1.67. Jared Koenig, who had 27 holds and a 2.86 ERA last season, is on the injured list with an elbow issue. Murphy takes issue with the notation that the early-season struggles of these relievers is due to their heavy workload last year as the Brewers advanced to the NL Championship Series. Murphy noted that Megill, for instance, is throwing at a similar velocity as he did at this point last year. Now, Murphy faces a hard decision as he decides whether to keep using Megill in that ninth-inning role. âThe way heâs throwing the ball now, he doesnât deserve it,â Murphy said, âbut he can earn it back.â \\\_ AP MLB:
Trevor Megill currently has an earned run average (ERA) of 14.40.
Trevor Megill was booed by fans after allowing three runs in the ninth inning during a 9-7 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Pat Murphy criticized the booing of Megill, stating that players are not machines and that it was in poor taste.
Trevor Megill had a combined total of 51 saves during the 2024-25 season.

Erik Spoelstra supports no further penalties for LaMelo Ball after flagrant foul.
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