KANSAS CITY, Mo.–First of all, the milwaukee brewers There were “pocket pancakes”. Now, they have pocket turtles.
Ahem, tortoise.
All this probably requires explanation.
During a game last August, Brewers manager Pat Murphy was caught pulling a pancake out of his hoodie pocket for a midgame bite, right in the middle of a dugout interview during a game against the Nationals. This was nothing new for Murphy, who is known to have everything from waffles to egg rolls on hand if he can find food.
But since the game was televised nationally, the moment instantly went viral. And the Brewers also caught up and introduced “Murph’s Pocket Pancakes” as a concession item for Sunday home games at American Family Field.
Back to the turtle – er, turtle.
The Brewers were scheduled to play the Royals on Friday night on Apple TV, however the game was canceled 90 minutes before first pitch due to rain. During a pregame interview with Apple reporter, Tricia Whitaker, Murphy said he was told “in no uncertain circumstances, no pocket pancakes” during their conversation, so he pulled out what he believed to be a Pocket Turtle.
“This is Bobby Jr.,” Murphy said as he introduced him, adding that the creature is named after his longtime friend, Bobby Witt, and his son, the Royals star. bobby wit jr. “I didn’t want to take out the pancakes so here we are.”
Bobby Jr. is fitting in perfectly 🐢 https://t.co/5nlnr7bHyj pic.twitter.com/SJXJd9AxMd
-Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) 4 April 2026
Whittaker posted the moment on social media, and fans immediately informed him that the reptile was, in fact, a pocket turtle — or no turtle at all. It was a tortoise, or more specifically a Sulcata tortoise, which can live up to 70 years and grow up to 100 pounds.
“How should I fly to this house?” Whittaker asked.
Good question.
Turns out, as Whittaker later posted on social media, American Airlines “does not have a strict reptile policy,” so Bobby Jr. had to stop in Kansas City. He wrote, the agreement is that the club will keep the turtle for the time being.
In fact, the reptile was living happily under a heat lamp in the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium on Saturday, although the plan is to find Bobby Jr. a good home soon. He will not travel with the club throughout the season.
Whittaker said, “One player suggested that if they win today they should have a ‘Rally Turtle.’ If they lose, I hope they will consider sending me a turtle.”
