The Milwaukee Brewers named closer Trevor Megill to the National League All-Star team after ace Freddy Peralta became unavailable due to his scheduled Sunday start.
Peralta earned his second All-Star selection with a 2.74 ERA and 111 strikeouts in 19 starts this season. But pitching on Sunday means he won’t be available for Tuesday’s All-Star Game, opening the door for Megill.
It’s a career milestone for the 30-year-old reliever, who’s been waiting for this moment.
“Five years in the league now, you see it every year, guys can’t throw (in the All-Star Game for various reasons). There’s always that chance later in the week to sneak in, so I just had to take it slow and play patience a little bit.”
That patience paid off. Megill sits second in the National League in saves and has emerged as the latest in Milwaukee’s impressive closer lineage. He’s the third straight Brewers closer to make an All-Star game, following Josh Hader and Devin Williams.
Following up two Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award winners isn’t easy, but Megill’s proven he belongs. He got a taste of the closer’s role last year when Williams went down with injury, picking up 21 saves as a fill-in.
This year, he’s taken full ownership of the ninth inning. His 2.48 ERA and 40 strikeouts represent career-best numbers, and he’s been transparent about his goals from day one.
“This was No. 1 for me this year. This is what I was striving for. A lot of hard work, a lot of pitchers in front of me, putting it down and giving me the opportunities to go out there and get saves. Without the guys around me, this wouldn’t be possible.”
He’s right about the guys around him. Milwaukee’s pitching staff owns a 3.68 ERA this season – 10th best in baseball and sixth in the National League. That depth has been crucial as the Brewers creep up on the Chicago Cubs for the NL Central lead.
What makes this selection even better is how it happened. Megill didn’t just get lucky with an injury replacement – he earned it through consistent performance all season long. The All-Star recognition validates what Milwaukee fans have seen all year: their closer can handle the pressure.
Now Megill gets to showcase that on baseball’s biggest stage. After five years of watching from the outside, he’s finally made it to the All-Star Game the way every player wants to – by being one of the best at his position.
