Pat Murphy Announces William Contreras Update After Removal From Brewers Lineup
The Milwaukee Brewers have continued building on last season's success during the 2026 MLB season, entering Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 30-18 record. After sweeping the Chicago Cubs earlier in the week, the Brewers have taken control of first place in the National League Central and now hold the second seed in the National League.
As the Brewers continue competing near the top of the NL standings, maintaining the health of key contributors has become increasingly important throughout the long season. The Brewers released their lineup ahead of Saturday's matchup, and star catcher William Contreras and outfielder Garrett Mitchell were absent. Hunter Baumgardt of Fox Sport 920 reported that Contreras received a planned day off, while Mitchell has recently been dealing with back soreness.
"Pat Murphy says it's a planned day off for William Contreras. Garrett Mitchell has been dealing with a sore back, but is ‘fine' and available off the bench tonight," Baumgardt shared on X.
Contreras has continued performing like one of the Brewers' most important players during the 2026 season. Once again in the conversation of baseball's top catchers, the 28-year-old two-time All-Star is batting .304 with a .787 OPS and a stellar .374 OBP.
Pat Murphy says it's a planned day off for William Contreras.
— Hunter Baumgardt (@hunterbonair) May 23, 2026
Garrett Mitchell has been dealing with a sore back, but is "fine" and available off the bench tonight. https://t.co/1xCn3jfvzE
Meanwhile, Mitchell's back soreness is another situation Milwaukee will likely continue monitoring closely. Since leaving Wednesday's matchup against the Cubs after he felt his back tighten up, Mitchell will miss his second straight game tonight. The athletic outfielder has shown flashes of becoming an important contributor for the Brewers, but injuries have hindered his development throughout his career. This season, the 27-year-old is batting .220 with a .689 OPS and a .342 OBP.
Murphy's comments suggesting Mitchell remains available off the bench appear to indicate the Brewers avoided a more significant injury concern. With Contreras expected back after his scheduled off-day, Milwaukee appears to be in solid shape to continue building momentum atop the NL Central standings.
The Brewers will look to win their fifth straight and clinch a series victory against the defending World Series champion Dodgers on Saturday.
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This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 6:57 PM.