Brewers seek to continue small-ball success vs. Rangers

The Milwaukee Brewers have earned the best record in Major League Baseball this season by doing the little things.

That's the formula manager Pat Murphy's team will look to employ again Saturday as it hosts the Texas Rangers.

While the Brewers rank last in the majors with just 123 home runs, they make up for it by having the MLB's best on-base percentage (.339). That showed in Friday's 6-1 win over the Rangers in the opener of the three-game series.

Milwaukee had 14 hits, with two doubles as the only extra-base hits, to go along with four walks. The Brewers' leadoff hitter Brice Turang started the first inning with a bunt single, moving to second on an error, and he would eventually score. They put the game away, scoring twice in the eighth, an inning that started with bunt singles by Sal Frelick and David Hamilton.

According to FanGraphs, Milwaukee has bunted during 74 plate appearances this season, the most in the NL. While the Brewers rank third in the majors with 30 sacrifices, Murphy said after Friday's win, it's not always about moving a runner over.

Turang, Frelick and Hamilton all hit left-handed, and they got their bunt singles against lefty pitchers.

"There's times when we leave our lefties in there," Murphy said. "They're some of our better hitters and can do some things. I don't know how many bunt hits we had today, but we had a few. Sometimes it's easier to bunt left-on-left with that guy falling the other way. We executed that three or four times perfectly."

Texas manager Skip Schumaker said he knew what the Brewers' strategy would be before the game.

"They've been doing it all year, and that's why their record is what it is. ... If they execute the bunt, it's tough to get them out," he said.

While Milwaukee has succeeded with small ball, the Rangers have struggled to score. Their 544 runs scored are the fourth-fewest in the majors.

Joc Pederson, the Rangers designated hitter who is tied with first baseman Jake Burger with a team-best 23 home runs, has struggled over the last couple weeks. He has two hits in his last 32 at-bats (.063).

The Rangers will look to end their three-game losing streak with veteran Cal Quantrill (6-4, 2.90 ERA) getting the start. The right-hander has won his last two games, including last Sunday when he blanked the Los Angeles Angels over six innings and allowed just six hits and no walks while striking out six in the Rangers' 5-3 home victory.

Quantrill has faced Milwaukee four times, including three starts. He has yet to record a decision but has a 3.14 ERA in 14 1/3 innings.

His last start against the Brewers took place on July 25, 2025, as a member of the Miami Marlins. In five innings, Quantrill held the Brewers to just three hits and a run with four strikeouts as Miami would pull out a 5-1 victory.

Milwaukee will send out rookie Shane Drohan (6-5, 3.84). The lefty has been battered recently, as he has a 5.45 ERA over his last seven starts.

However, he allowed the Atlanta Braves just two runs over five innings last Sunday but still came away with the loss as the Braves prevailed 4-2 in the MLB Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pa.

-Field Level Media