NEW YORK (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers rookie Cooper Pratt certainly got the message sent by manager Pat Murphy on Tuesday night.
Loud and clear.
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Murphy, the two-time defending National League Manager of the Year, benched Pratt after he failed to get a bunt down and didn’t run hard out of the batter's box on a bloop single during a 3-2 loss to the New York Mets in 10 innings.
“I’ve got to be better,” Pratt said. “It’s not winning baseball. I didn’t help the team win and it won’t happen again, that’s for sure.”
Batting ninth, Pratt was asked to bunt after Garrett Mitchell and Joey Ortiz opened the third with singles against Mets starter Zac Thornton. Pratt fouled off Thornton’s first pitch and then pulled back his bat on the second one, a fastball right down the middle.
“We asked him to get a bunt down, pulled back on a strike, and that happens, maybe,” Murphy said. “Trying to get a guy second and third for (Jackson) Chourio in a game where we weren’t swinging it too good.”
Swinging away with two strikes, Pratt fouled off the next two pitches before hitting a comebacker to Thornton, who fired to third to force Mitchell. Thornton then retired Chourio and Brice Turang to escape the jam.
Murphy was particularly annoyed in the fifth.
With one out, Pratt hit a flyball to shallow right field. He paused in the batter’s box and gazed skyward for a moment before running at normal speed to first base.
The ball landed between three Mets in fair territory near the line and briefly bounced past right fielder Carson Benge. Pratt accelerated for a moment rounding first before heading back to the bag.
“No excuses. I should have been running hard, no matter if it is foul or fair,” Pratt said. “I should have been (hustling) to get to second base.”
Murphy immediately pulled Pratt for pinch-runner David Hamilton, who committed the walk-off throwing error at third base in the 10th.
Pratt, who turned 22 last week, made his major league debut on June 16 — about 2 1/2 months after the Brewers signed the shortstop prospect to an eight-year, $50.75 million contract.
“I love the kid and I believe in the kid immensely, but he’s got to be a player that does those things,” Murphy said. “It’s just not tolerated. By anybody. It sends a message to everybody else, too — you’ve got to run.”
Pratt looked surprised as he ran off the field. Television cameras caught him talking in the dugout to veteran teammate Sal Frelick.
“There’s a certain way to play here and I may be new, but it doesn’t matter,” said Pratt, selected by Milwaukee in the sixth round of the 2023 amateur draft. “It’s the way we’re right through the organization from rookie ball to the big leagues. And I didn’t do that. And I will do that. No excuses.”
Pratt is batting .259 with two homers, 18 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 49 games for the Brewers, who have the best record in the majors at 81-51 and are seeking a fourth straight NL Central crown.
“He’s a great kid — it’s not laziness,” Murphy said. “You’ve got to have your head in the game. Because there’s games like today, it comes down to (Francisco) Lindor’s great catch or whatever it might be, an errant throw or whatever. You’ve got to be locked in if you’re going to play at this level. So hopefully, a good learning experience.”
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