Brewers Perkins a 'nice surprise' through first month of season

Beyond the Game: Brewers' Blake Perkins

Failure is inherent in MLB. The best hitters of all-time failed in 60 to 65 percent of the time. Learning to deal with struggles can be challenging. Tim Van Vooren goes Beyond the Game with one Brewer who is winning the battle.

MILWAUKEE - The Brewers are clipping along at a higher offensive rate than in recent seasons and that is due to the success of several players, outfielder Blake Perkins included.

"He's been tremendous," said manager Pat Murphy. "Of anyone who's been the nicest surprise, or whatever you want to call it, the way he's produced offensively."

The affable Arizonaian is in his first full big league season and a long way from his early professional days when the natural right-hander became a switch hitter after he had been a second round draft choice in 2015.

"I said I'd give it a try and I gave it a try," said Perkins. "I've tried to give it up a couple of times, and the teams I played for said not to do that, so it has been a journey, and it's been challenging, but it's been fun too, in some ways."

(FOX6 News Milwaukee)

The mental pressures are there in the majors, but imagine when you are in the low minors staring at your low batting average numbers because you are trying something new.

"And it was also challenging because I had some early success, somehow," Perkins said. "I actually saw some early signs of success, so I was alright, you know, this could be a thing and then eventually always there's a little valley."

Getting out of that valley is challenging, and so is standing in against the best pitchers in the world.

Perkins finally made his big league debut in 2023 and was sent down shortly thereafter, only to come back up and this year it looks like he's here to stay.

"It's almost like if you have a child, you want to see them do well," said Perkins. "I want that for myself, like that's how I want to see myself, so I don't necessarily want to be super prideful about it, but I want to allow myself to have success and be happy for myself when I do have it. Especially in this game, which is very challenging our operative word."