Brewers Manager Gifts Sideline Reporter a Turtle, Highlighting Team's Speed

Pat Murphy's unconventional gift to Tricia Whitaker creates an ironic contrast with the Brewers' league-leading sprint speed.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:25pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball player in motion, with sharp, overlapping planes of bright blue, yellow, and red, conceptually representing the high-energy play of the Milwaukee Brewers.A cubist interpretation of the contrast between the Brewers' lightning-fast play and their manager's gift of a slow-moving tortoise.Today in Milwaukee

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy is known for his quirky on-field antics, and this season he's outdone himself by gifting sideline reporter Tricia Whitaker a live Sulcata tortoise during a Friday Night Baseball broadcast. While the turtle, named Bobby Jr., couldn't immediately accompany Whitaker due to travel restrictions, it stayed with the team over the weekend, where players fed and walked it. The irony is that the Brewers boast the fastest roster in baseball, making the slow-moving tortoise an amusing contrast to the team's high-octane style of play.

Why it matters

Murphy's gift of a tortoise to Whitaker is more than just a quirky clubhouse moment - it's a playful contrast to the Brewers' identity as one of baseball's fastest teams. This humor and personality that Murphy brings to the game is something Milwaukee fans have grown accustomed to, and with yet another viral moment, the rest of the league is finding that out too.

The details

In 2025, Murphy famously pulled out a pancake mid-game while on air with Whitaker, sparking a statewide 'pocket pancake' craze in Wisconsin. This year, despite Friday's Apple TV broadcast of the Brewers vs. Kansas City Royals being rained out, Murphy aimed to outdo last year's viral moment by gifting Whitaker a Sulcata tortoise, which can grow up to 100 pounds and live around 70 years. He named the turtle Bobby Jr., paying tribute to Royals player Bobby Whitt Jr., a longtime family friend of Murphy's.

  • In 2025, Murphy pulled out a pancake during a live interview with Whitaker.
  • On April 4, 2026, Murphy gifted Whitaker a live Sulcata tortoise during a rained-out Brewers vs. Royals broadcast.

The players

Pat Murphy

The manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, known for his quirky on-field antics and viral moments with sideline reporter Tricia Whitaker.

Tricia Whitaker

The sideline reporter for Apple TV's exclusive Friday Night Baseball broadcasts, who has been the recipient of Murphy's unconventional gifts, including a pancake in 2025 and a live tortoise in 2026.

Bobby Whitt Jr.

A player for the Kansas City Royals who is a longtime family friend of Brewers manager Pat Murphy, after whom Murphy named the tortoise he gifted to Whitaker.

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What they’re saying

“Welp…….The Brewers now have a pet turtle.A pocket turtle. 🐢Backstory:I caused Pat Murphy chaos with pocket pancakes…So this time during our interview, Murph handed me a……live turtle and said, 'Good luck getting it through TSA.'”

— Tricia Whitaker, Sideline Reporter

What’s next

The Brewers will need to find a permanent home for the Sulcata tortoise, as it cannot accompany Whitaker on her travels due to travel restrictions.

The takeaway

Pat Murphy's gift of a slow-moving tortoise to Tricia Whitaker is a delightful contrast to the Brewers' identity as one of the fastest teams in baseball, showcasing the manager's quirky personality and the team's ability to have fun while also dominating on the field.