The Milwaukee Brewers are making a major commitment to their pitching excellence by retaining renowned pitching coach Chris Hook with a multi-year extension. Hook, who has been with the Brewers organization for nearly 20 years, was set to be out of contract on Thursday. However, his deep-rooted impact on the team’s pitching prowess has earned him an extended tenure with Milwaukee.
Since stepping into the role in 2018, Hook has transformed the Brewers’ pitching staff into one of MLB’s elite, a group that ranks fifth in earned run average and only trails the Astros in strikeout rate over the past six seasons. While head coach Pat Murphy kept him on board when he took over last season, it’s clear Hook’s role has been indispensable. Under his guidance, the Brewers have consistently excelled in pitching without high-profile free-agent splashes, instead developing a rotation from within and unearthing unexpected gems.
This season was Hook’s latest masterpiece, despite the Brewers trading star pitcher Corbin Burnes and losing ace Brandon Woodruff for the entire year. Injuries plagued the rotation, with Wade Miley and Jakob Junis also sidelined early on, yet Milwaukee’s staff still achieved a stellar 3.65 ERA, ranking fifth in the league. Hook helped journeyman right-hander Colin Rea to a breakout season and orchestrated a revival for 26-year-old Tobias Myers, who posted a sparkling 3.00 ERA over 138 innings. Notably, deadline acquisition Frankie Montas saw a slight uptick in velocity under Hook’s guidance, boosting the bullpen as the team clinched another NL Central title.
Milwaukee’s off-season focus on evolving their coaching staff has been evident. Recently, they parted ways with co-hitting coach Ozzie Timmons, adding Al LeBoeuf and Eric Thiesen to bolster the team’s offensive approach. With Hook’s return cemented, the Brewers are well-positioned to continue building around a strong pitching foundation in the years to come.
