Milwaukee Brewers: Erik Kratz shares cool moment with friends wearing his old jerseys

The Milwaukee Brewers’ catcher has experienced a revelation this postseason, and shared a feel-good moment prior to Game 6 when his friends surprised him to celebrate the journeyman’s career.

The National League Championship Series has been a riveting battle between the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers. The series has been chock-full of storylines, from the Brewers’ pitchers raking, Clayton Kershaw’s up-and-down outings, and Manny Machado making headlines seemingly every night. But of all of the cool narratives that have made this NLCS must-watch TV, the most feel-good moment came prior to Game 6 involving Brewers’ backstop Erik Kratz.

Kratz received a surprise visit from his college friends, who came out to support the catcher as he was about to play the most important game of his career. Not only that, but the Erik Kratz cheering section came prepared, as all of the guys donned Kratz jerseys from teams the journeyman has played for since first being called up to the Majors in 2010.

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Here’s the tally of Erik Kratz jerseys seen in the stands:

• Philadelphia Phillies (2)
• Toronto Blue Jays (2 – remember those jerseys? Yikes. They haunt me as a Jays fan)
• Pittsburgh Pirates (2)
• Cleveland Indians
• Houston Astros
• San Diego Padres

In total, Kratz was welcomed by nine buddies who wore jerseys of six different teams he was once with, although the list is much longer than that. The 38-year old also played for the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees, but we’ll give his friends a free pass on omitting those jerseys since Kratz had a combined 35 at-bats with those two clubs.

After years of changing teams and bouncing around the minors, Kratz has had the most successful year of his career with the Brewers. In the regular season he played in 67 games splitting the catching duties with Manny Pina, but has emerged as the primary backstop this postseason thanks to his respected playcalling, sound defense, and veteran leadership.

Kratz has provided a lot of intangibles to this young Brewers club in the postseason, but let’s not forget that he’s been doing damage at the plate as well — Kratz is batting .333 with 3 RBI and .820 OPS in 21 at-bats between the Division Series and Championship Series. On top of his good numbers, Kratz delivered a crucial 2-run single in Game 1 of the ALDS that led to the Brew Crew sweeping the Colorado Rockies in three games.

Last night, the Dodgers came into Game 6 with a 3-2 lead and were looking to close off the series, but the Brewers had other plans. Although David Freese — who is a stone-cold killer in the postseason — gave the Dodgers an early lead with a home run to lead off the game, the Brew Crew responded by scoring four runs in the 1st off opposing starter Hyun-Jin Ryu, chasing him out of the game after just 3 innings of five-run ball. The Brewers ended up taking the win-or-go-home contest in a 7-2 fashion.

Erik Kratz contributed to the Brewers’ victory like he has all of October. Before being removed for pinch-hitter Curtis Granderson in the bottom of the 7th, Kratz was a rock behind the plate and even delivered an RBI single to RF in the first inning that extended Milwaukee’s and set the Dodgers back big.

This postseason has been unforgettable for the Brewers and the city of Milwaukee, but few will remember the Brewers’ 2018 run like Erik Kratz, whose entire career has been validated by what he has done for his current club as they vie for their first World Series berth since 1982, when they were in the American League.

But first, the small-market Brew Crew will need to topple the Dodgers in a decisive Game 7 tonight in what will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting and suspensful games you’ll watch all year. Make sure to tune in.