The Washington Nationals turned the tables on Milwaukee in the most unexpected way Friday night.
After laying down just one bunt in their first 12 games, the Nats executed three perfect bunts in the ninth inning to stun the Brewers 7-3 at American Family Field. What makes this so interesting? Milwaukee’s built their identity around small-ball tactics this season.
“Nobody bunts more than us. They did a great job of exploiting us.”
That’s Brewers manager Pat Murphy summing up what just happened to his club, as reported by MLB.com.
He’s not wrong. The Brewers entered Friday leading the majors with six sacrifice bunts and had hustled out 12 infield hits, tied for fourth most in baseball. They’ve made their reputation this year as scrappy small-ball specialists.
The Nationals? Complete opposite approach. They’d executed just one sacrifice hit and zero bunt singles all season.
But first-year manager Blake Butera wants to change that mindset, and Friday night showed exactly what he’s talking about.
“It’s been a big focus of ours, being able to do the small things very well,” Butera said. “We talked about it going into this series specifically, knowing the type of team Milwaukee has and knowing they’re going to be coming at us all day long and we’re going to have to go right back at them.”
They sure did.
Ninth-Inning Small Ball Clinic
With the score knotted at 3-all in the top of the ninth and facing Brewers All-Star closer Trevor Megill, Joey Wiemer dropped down the team’s first bunt single of the season. He beat out third baseman Luis Rengifo’s throw with sprint speed clocked at 29.5 feet per second.
That’s where things got really interesting.
Jorbit Vivas attempted a safety squeeze next. The ball bounced to Megill, who tried to shovel it to catcher William Contreras but the ball fluttered past, allowing Wiemer to score.
Then Drew Millas tried his own squeeze play. Megill fumbled this one too, letting another run cross the plate.
“There’s no excuse for that stuff. Just, sloppy legs. I didn’t get it done.”
That’s Megill taking responsibility afterward, but the damage was done.
The way I see it, this might be the moment the Nationals discovered they can manufacture runs without relying purely on power. For a team that’s been rebuilding, adding small-ball tactics to their arsenal could make them more dangerous than expected.
What makes this even more compelling is how they used Milwaukee’s own strength against them. The Brewers practice defending bunts constantly because that’s their game. But when you’re not expecting it from a team that simply doesn’t bunt, even the best preparation can fall short.
All things considered, one game doesn’t make the Nationals a small-ball team. But Butera’s emphasis on “doing the small things very well” seems to be taking hold, and that could change how opponents approach them going forward.
