What did Sal Frelick say about the Brewers' hitting approach on Pardon My Take?

Sal Frelick said Pat Murphy requires every Brewers hitter to be able to hit a backside ground ball on command, especially with two strikes. Seeing the ball that deep lets a hitter sit on the fastball and still adjust to a curveball. Frelick said the Brewers were last or second-last in home runs but were very good with two outs and two strikes, and that first-pitch swings were mostly off-limits unless you batted second, third or fourth.

• Frelick said the rule loosens with runners in scoring position or when a starter keeps landing first-pitch strikes.
• Frelick credited hitting coach Vogelbach with keeping hitters within the core of their swing as it changes through the season.
• Frelick said the lineup never knew who would deliver, only that someone would, which took pressure off each hitter.

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on Pardon My Take (2026-11-04). Read the whole episode summary →

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