It started as a curiosity. Now it’s part of the routine.

Inside the Milwaukee Brewers’ clubhouse, pickleball has evolved from an offseason experiment into a daily outlet, one that blends competition, camaraderie, and a mental reset during the inevitable grind of a 162-game season.

What keeps it going isn’t just novelty, it’s necessity, according to Brew Crew Ball writer Dave Gasper in an April 19 article.

For third base coach Matt Erickson, the journey started in the simplest way possible: a family introduction that turned into something much bigger once he realized how addictive the sport could be.

“We talked our grounds crew into putting a court up by the cages in spring training,” Erickson said, describing how the Brewers quickly carved out space for the game within their baseball environment.

From there, participation spread fast. Coaches, front office staff, strength personnel, and trainers all began rotating into games, turning what started as casual matches into a shared daily rhythm.

“It just kind of brought some people together, like different departments,” Erickson insisted. 

That blending of roles is part of the appeal. In a sport defined by specialization, pickleball became one of the few spaces where everyone could compete on equal footing. No scouting reports. No roles. Just points.

And for a coaching staff immersed in baseball 24/7, that separation matters.

“It’s a long season; if you’re thinking baseball all the time, you’re going to go crazy,” field coordinator Nestor Corredor mentioned. 

That mental break is exactly what the Brewers have been chasing. Pickleball gives them something familiar—strategy, competition, adjustment—without the emotional weight of a game that counts in the standings.

Offensively minded coaches see it in the shot selection. Pitching and defensive minds see it in positioning and anticipation.

“Strategy-wise, it’s very similar to baseball,” offensive coordinator Jason Lane explained. “When you’re playing defense on the pickleball court, it’s very similar to infield play and picking the right hops and moving your feet, and then when you’re on the offensive side, it’s very much like pitching. It’s going to locations to set up the next shot, going to their weak point. So the strategy of the game is the most fun part and what keeps you coming back and kind of addicted to it.”

That overlap helps explain why the sport has taken hold so quickly. It scratches the competitive itch without the consequences.

“We’re competitors, so we want to win, and it keeps us sharp,” Lane added.

Brewers owner Mark Attanasio even installed a court on the terrace level at American Family Field for coaches and front office members to play while they’re at work.

And traditional baseball off-days have started to shift. Golf, long the default escape for coaches and players, has lost ground to something faster, easier to set up, and more portable across a grueling schedule.

“Some people go for a run, some people like to lift weights, some people play golf. I played a lot of golf before this. I’ve played nine holes in the last two and a half years. Pickleball’s destroyed my golf game,” Erickson shared. “But yeah, it’s a nice little getaway, a reset.”

What began as a simple offseason distraction has become something closer to infrastructure inside the Brewers’ culture: a daily pressure valve for a staff tasked with staying sharp while helping others do the same.

And in a sport built on repetition and mental endurance, sometimes the edge doesn’t come from another meeting or another chart.

It comes from a paddle, a court, and a few points before first pitch.