Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Trevor Megill ignited a pre-game controversy over the weekend by taking direct aim at the stadium conditions at Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays, ahead of Game 3 of the World Series.
As the Brewers prepared for Monday’s matchup in St. Petersburg, Florida, Megill offered a blunt and colorful critique of the venue’s dome while walking past reporters following Sunday’s batting practice session. The veteran closer expressed frustration over the color scheme of the facility’s overhead structure.
“Whoever decided to make the roof the same goddamn color as the baseball is a f—ing idiot,” Megill stated.
According to Dario Melendez of WISN 12 News, the Brewers spent their off-day workout handling fly balls and navigating ricochets off the structure—defensive tasks made significantly more challenging by the stark white backdrop of the Tropicana Field roof.
Stadium roof architecture and internal cables have played a notable role throughout the postseason. Earlier in October, during Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres, stadium infrastructure at Milwaukee’s American Family Field became a talking point when support cables potentially altered the flight of a ball hit by Ty France off Megill himself. Milwaukee outfielder Jackson Chourio secured the catch after the deflection, resulting in an out that helped preserve a 3-2 victory on the way to a four-game series sweep.
Similar incidents have occurred elsewhere in dome stadiums during the playoffs. During the American League Division Series, New York Yankees player Spencer Jones was retired in Game 2 after hitting a towering fly ball that struck a catwalk underneath the roof before being caught for an out by outfielder Victor Mesa Jr.
Megill has been a central figure in the Brewers’ bullpen during the current postseason run, logging 6 2/3 innings while surrendering just one run on three hits and recording seven strikeouts. That lone run occurred during a turbulent ninth inning in Game 1 of the World Series, where Megill weathered an overturned double play before securing the final out to close out a nail-biting win for Milwaukee.
The Brewers entered Monday night’s contest holding a commanding lead in the Fall Classic, needing two victories in Tampa to complete a series sweep and capture the franchise’s first-ever World Series title.
