"Why would they trust Shane Drohan that much?" - Fans blame Brewers pitcher for extra-innings loss to Rays in World Series Game 4

The Milwaukee Brewers were leading the World Series 3-0 and were only a game short of winning the ring, but Tuesday's game turned it in favor of the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays won Game 4, 4-3 in 12 innings at Tropicana Field, adding to the Brewers' frustration.

Milwaukee Brewers appeared to have the clinching win in hand when Cooper Pratt homered in the top of the 12th, a swing that left Tampa Bay's season on the brink. The Rays answered with four consecutive hits to walk it off, as Jeff Passan noted on X after the game. The Rays had also led twice earlier before Milwaukee tied the score both times.

However, much to the fans' heartbreak, rookie left-hander Shane Drohan was charged with an error in the loss. It was his first time pitching in the series, and his error dealt a heavy blow to the team. The mistake drew much of the postgame criticism, with fans asking why manager Pat Murphy had trusted a pitcher who had not appeared in the World Series before Tuesday.

Shane Drohan was among the pitchers Milwaukee considered using once in the series. After Game 3, Brandon Woodruff revealed that he was initially expected to start Game 4. However, following his appearance in the ninth inning of Monday’s 10-1 win, the Brewers turned to Dustin May.

Shane Drohan Reveals He Nearly Quit Baseball After Career Setback

In a June interview on FOX6 News Milwaukee, Shane Drohan described the moment he almost left the sport. In an interview, he traced the doubt to 2024, when the Chicago White Sox returned him to the Boston Red Sox rather than keep him after selecting him in the Rule 5 draft.

“I think um I always believed in myself, but the whole Rule 5 situation when the White Sox kind of just sent me back to the Red Sox. That was hard to swallow. Mainly because that was the worst team in the history of baseball," Shane Drohan said.

"I mean, let's just say it like it is. That was the worst team ever. And they didn't even give me a chance. So, I was just like really thinking about being done in that moment.”

The reaction online was still trained on the error rather than the interview. Drohan credited family and friends with encouraging him to keep going, and the conversation touched on how much of his stalled progress was owed to timing, the shoulder surgery, and a rushed recovery.

Drohan had nerve decompression surgery on his left shoulder in February 2024, never pitched for Chicago, and was returned to Boston on June 12. He rebuilt his standing at Triple-A Worcester in 2025 and was added to Boston's 40-man roster before being traded to Milwaukee on Feb. 9, 2026, in the six-player deal that sent Caleb Durbin to the Red Sox.