CHICAGO --- The Brewers managed to finish a long, injury-riddled March/April slate above .500 (16-15) with a 6-4 victory over the White Sox on Wednesday.
Like Tuesday’s series-opening victory, it took until the back half of the game for Milwaukee to pull away. The Brewers broke a tie with a three-run eighth, and Trevor Megill then closed out the ninth for his third save of the season.
“You finish .500 or above, you're in a good spot coming out of April,” Megill said. “We're right in the middle of it, playing a lot of good baseball, just some games got away from us here and there. Nothing that we can't fix the next day. Our team grinds, and I like what we have.”
Here are three takeaways from the victory at Rate Field:
Bauers’ big hit
Jake Bauers’ name was in the starting lineup in left field for the first time this season.
He has played plenty of outfield in the Major Leagues, but has gotten the majority of his time at first base with Milwaukee. Saturday in St. Louis was the only outfield Bauers had played in 2025, so it was notable to see him get the start in left against Chicago.
“It's a function of trying to get his bat in there and keep him functioning,” manager Pat Murphy said. “You can't put guys in the cooler and think they're going to hit, especially offensive players. You can't keep them in the cooler.”
Bauers rewarded Murphy’s decision with a nice offensive day. He drew a walk in the first, and then he delivered the go-ahead two-run double in the eighth. Bauers has started more games on the bench than in the field in ‘25, but a skipper who looks for ways to get a player's bat in the lineup can help keep him in a better rhythm.
“We have a lot of good players in this clubhouse,” Bauers said, “so I don't envy his position having to get guys in. I'm thankful for any opportunity I get and just trying to make the most of it.”
Murphy sends a message
Starter Tobias Myers lasted only two innings before Murphy went to the bullpen. Myers threw 49 pitches in his second start of the season (he began the year on the 15-day injured list with a left oblique injury), but gave up two runs and two hits, walked three and hit a batter in his short appearance.
Murphy felt Myers wasn’t sharp and wasn’t throwing with conviction. So, he made the decision to pull Myers from the game early.
“It was more of a message to Tobias than it was anything else,” Murphy said. “I knew we had a full bullpen, but still, this is how we're going to do it, man. You're not going to be a starting pitcher on this team, with all the injuries we've had and all that stuff, we're not just going to sit there and say, 'Oh, well. We got to get pitches out of you.'”
Coming off walking just 36 batters in 138 innings as a rookie, Myers has walked seven in six in 2025. He felt he was “trying too hard to hit a perfect spot, instead of just trusting my body, trusting my stuff.”
Not having the best start could’ve been motivation enough to get right his next outing. Murphy’s message likely added a little bit more.
“I'm excited to get back out there,” Myers said. “I'm ready to go and I'm definitely going to put the work in this week to put me in a good spot for next week.”
Second-base shuffle
Less than an hour before first pitch, the Brewers scratched second baseman Brice Turang from the starting lineup due to an illness. Postgame, Murphy was unsure if Turang would be back in there Thursday.
In the second, Isaac Collins -- who took over for Turang -- took a 94.7 mph four-seamer off his right elbow. Collins, who hit his first career home run Tuesday night, stayed on the ground for a few moments but eventually took his base at first.
Collins remained in the game for only one more inning before Vinny Capra replaced him heading into the bottom of the third. Milwaukee ruled him out with a right elbow contusion. X-rays on Collins’ elbow came back negative.
“It was pretty much just like a dead arm, like the worst one you could possibly think of,” Collins said. “I tried to fight through it. Turned that double play [in the second], and after that, I kind of knew that I wouldn't be helping the team if I stayed in the game.”