The Brewers’ Game 1 loss to the Mets was tough to swallow, especially after taking an early lead and seeing it slip away in the fifth inning. The decision to hand things over to the bullpen in the fifth seems to have been the critical turning point, as the Mets capitalized with five runs, effectively sealing the game. Milwaukee’s offense looked strong early, but their inability to sustain that momentum in the later innings really hurt them.
The bullpen’s collapse is an obvious area of blame, but the offense also needs to take responsibility for not keeping the pressure on after those early runs. In a short series like this, every inning counts, and losing that lead quickly flipped the momentum to New York.
The Brewers’ Game 1 loss to the Mets is frustrating, and there’s plenty of blame to go around. Here’s a breakdown of the key culprits:
The Bullpen Meltdown: Pat Murphy’s decision to turn the game over to the bullpen in the fifth inning backfired spectacularly. Allowing five runs in one inning is inexcusable, especially in a short series where every inning matters. The bullpen couldn’t stop the bleeding, and that collapse is the biggest factor in the loss.
Offensive Inconsistency: Milwaukee’s offense showed up early, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning and holding a 4-3 advantage after four innings. But after that, the bats went cold, and they failed to capitalize on chances to extend the lead. The lack of timely hitting in the later innings let the Mets pull away without much resistance.
Pitching Strategy: While the Brewers’ starter wasn’t flawless, the decision to pull him and rely on the bullpen so early was questionable. The Mets were reeling from the double-header and should have been more vulnerable, but the Brewers didn’t press the advantage.
Mets’ Resilience: Credit where it’s due—despite their exhausting Monday, the Mets came out with energy and determination. Milwaukee, on the other hand, let the opportunity slip away, especially with home-field advantage on their side.
Milwaukee needed more than four innings from Freddy Peralta
Freddy Peralta’s performance in Game 1 was certainly underwhelming by his usual standards, especially given how consistent he’s been all season. While he didn’t implode, giving up three earned runs on just two hits and a walk was enough to make the Brewers’ coaching staff lose confidence in him early. Pulling him after that, though, might have been a bit hasty, especially considering the bullpen’s struggles.
Pat Murphy’s decision to go to the bullpen so soon will likely be scrutinized, as Milwaukee might have benefited from letting Peralta work through his challenges. Given the circumstances, keeping faith in your ace could have allowed for better management of bullpen resources later in the game.
You’re right—while Peralta wasn’t solely responsible for the loss, his inability to hold down the Mets early on certainly contributed to the pressure on the bullpen. In the postseason, even a few early runs can shift momentum, and Peralta couldn’t prevent New York from gaining that foothold. While he technically out-pitched Severino, the Brewers needed more from their ace in a high-stakes game.
Peralta is in the “circle of criticism,” but the larger blame likely falls on the bullpen’s meltdown and the offensive fade after those early innings. Milwaukee can’t afford to let leads slip away, especially with elimination now looming.
Pat Murphy took Freddy Peralta out too early and felt the consequences
It sounds like Pat Murphy made a calculated decision to pull Freddy Peralta and hand the game over to Joel Payamps, who had been performing well recently. Murphy’s logic was likely based on preserving Peralta’s arm for a potential Game 3 or future outings while leaning on Payamps’ hot streak to get through the middle innings. On paper, it was a sound approach—resting your ace when the bullpen is reliable is often a solid strategy in postseason baseball.
However, as you pointed out, so much of coaching comes down to luck and execution. While the decision made sense, the bullpen couldn’t hold up, and Payamps struggled to keep the Mets from breaking the game open. The unpredictability of baseball makes these decisions risky, and in this case, Murphy’s gamble didn’t pay off.
Here was Pat Murphy's full explanation for taking Freddy Peralta out after four innings. pic.twitter.com/gJ3aB4mCIk
— Curt Hogg (@CyrtHogg) October 2, 2024
It’s tough to argue against the idea that Pat Murphy’s bullpen management was a key factor in the Brewers’ downfall in Game 1. Payamps had been on a stellar run with 12 straight hitless outings, but as you said, he was due for a bad game, and unfortunately, it came at the worst possible time. Allowing three earned runs in such a short appearance quickly unraveled any momentum Milwaukee had built.
While hindsight is always 20/20, Murphy’s reliance on Payamps, especially with Peralta likely having more left in the tank, seems like a misstep. Aaron Ashby wasn’t able to stop the bleeding either, compounding the issue.
Ultimately, it comes down to Murphy’s bullpen decisions being high-risk, and this time, the risk didn’t pay off. Heading into Game 2, it’s crucial for Milwaukee to be more cautious with bullpen management, especially given what’s at stake. How would you approach their bullpen in the next game?
Joel Payamps finally messed up at the worst possible time
Joel Payamps’ meltdown was indeed a brutal turn of events, especially given how reliable he’d been down the stretch for Milwaukee. His implosion in Game 1, allowing the Mets to grab the lead and never look back, was a gut punch for the Brewers. Considering his recent dominance, it was reasonable for Murphy to trust him in that spot, but the postseason often has a way of throwing even the best-laid plans into chaos.
Aaron Ashby’s inability to stop the bleeding only deepened the mess, and the combination of Peralta’s short outing and the bullpen’s failure to lock down the middle innings ultimately sealed Milwaukee’s fate. Dividing the blame between Murphy for pulling Peralta early and Payamps for his collapse seems fair, but it’s especially frustrating when your middle-relief ace falters in a crucial moment.
For Game 2, the Brewers will need to lean on more stable arms, and perhaps consider giving their starter a longer leash to avoid such a scenario.
Aaron Ashby couldn’t clean up the Brewers’ mess in time
Aaron Ashby’s outing was disastrous and truly the turning point that allowed the Mets to blow the game wide open. Inheriting two runners in a tie ballgame and then allowing both to score, followed by surrendering more runs without recording an out, is an absolute collapse under pressure. Ashby had a golden opportunity to stop the damage and give the Brewers a chance to stay in the fight, but instead, his inability to find outs doomed Milwaukee.
While Payamps’ numbers will take the bulk of the statistical blame, Ashby’s failure to stabilize the situation when it mattered most is what really buried the Brewers. His performance in that moment, especially in the postseason, is as you said, unforgivable. Allowing five straight base runners in a crucial inning in playoff baseball simply cannot happen.
If Milwaukee wants any chance of bouncing back, they’ll need their bullpen to have short memories and stronger execution.
Rhys Hoskins, noted Mets Killer, did not kill the Mets
Rhys Hoskins seemed like the perfect hidden gem for Milwaukee in this series, given his history of success against the Mets and his valuable postseason experience. Signing him for cheap looked like a savvy move, especially with the idea that his bat could make a difference in key October moments. His ability to step up in high-pressure games, combined with his familiarity with Mets pitching, should have made him a prime candidate to be Milwaukee’s secret weapon.
However, if the Brewers didn’t take advantage of Hoskins in Game 1, they may have missed an opportunity. With the Brewers’ offense faltering after the fourth inning, his power and postseason prowess could have been the spark they needed.
Rhys Hoskins’ performance in Game 1 was a major letdown given the expectations surrounding him. While the RBI on the hit-by-pitch gave the Brewers an early lead, his failure to capitalize with runners on in key moments—particularly grounding into that double play with runners on the corners—was a pivotal missed opportunity. That could have swung the momentum, especially in the early innings when Milwaukee was still in control of the game.
The fact that the Mets retired the last 16 Milwaukee hitters just adds to the frustration, and while Hoskins isn’t solely responsible for the offensive collapse, his hitless night stands out given the hype around his ability to deliver in October.
If the Brewers want to keep their season alive, they’ll need hitters like Hoskins to step up in Game 2.