Brewers closer Devin Williams has pitched just 1 1/3 frames across two appearances this spring thanks to a sore back, which manager Pat Murphy indicated to reporters (including Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) has been bothering him throughout most of the spring. After previously getting an MRI to determine the source of the issue, Murphy added that Williams is set to meet with a spine specialist in California on Wednesday to receive a second opinion and make sure that he hasn’t suffered a more serious injury. Barring a second opinion changing the club’s course, Murphy indicated that the plan for Williams is to “give him some time off” in hopes that will treat the ailment.
Williams, 29, has established himself among the game’s most elite closers in recent years. Though the right-hander made his debut late in the 2019 season, he retained rookie eligibility into the 2020 season, which saw him dominant to an superlative 0.33 ERA with a 0.86 FIP in 27 innings of work, a strong enough performance to earn him the NL Rookie of the Year award during the shortened season. Since then, he’s settled in as one of the most reliably dominant relief arms in the game, having compiled a microscopic 1.75 ERA and 2.26 FIP in 200 1/3 innings over the past four years while striking out a whopping 40.5% of batters faced.
He enjoyed a characteristically excellent season in 2023, posting a 1.53 ERA in 61 appearances while collecting a career-best 36 saves and striking out opponents at a 37.7% clip. That dominance led to some trade speculation this winter as the club parted ways with both manager Craig Counsell and ace right-hander Corbin Burnes, though no deal ever came together regarding Williams and it’s unclear if the Brewers even shopped their relief ace. The right-hander remains under team control in Milwaukee through the end of the 2025 season, so it’s possible the club could look to part ways with Williams at some point in the future, but for the time being the right-hander appears poised to return to his role as Brewers closer come Opening Day if he’s healthy enough to take the field.
More from Brewers camp…
- Murphy also spoke to reporters, including Hogg, about the prospect of young outfielder Sal Frelick moving to the infield this season. The manager indicated that he feels that Frelick’s work at third base hasn’t been “emphasized” enough and that he could be “one of the best stories in baseball.” Frelick’s potential move to the infield had been reported last month, when The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal indicated that Frelick had begun work at both second and third base. Frelick has since appeared in five games at the hot corner this spring, the same number as he’s appeared in his native right field. Should Frelick’s experiment at third base carry into the regular season on even a part-time basis, it would go a long way to sorting out at-bats in the club’s crowded outfield mix, which includes the likes of Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell and Joey Wiemer in addition to Frelick.
- Catcher Gary Sanchez has been slowed this spring by a right hand issue ever since signing with the Brewers on a big league deal last month, though as noted by MLB.com the 31-year-old backstop made it into game action ahead of schedule by appearing as the club’s DH in yesterday’s game. Sanchez was previously expected to start getting into game action on March 14, putting nearly a week ahead of schedule. That’s a good sign for Sanchez’s ability to get up to speed in time to avoid a stint on the injured list to open the season, though the club has Eric Haase also in camp and on the 40-man roster as a potential alternative backup to primary catcher William Contreras should Sanchez require more time to prepare for the coming campaign. Sanchez lingered on the free agent market through the early months of the 2023 campaign but performed well upon joining the Padres in late May, slashing .218/.292/.500 with 19 home runs in just 260 trips to the plate across his 72 games with the club.
Crew looking ok so far. Nothing super impressive, no big disappointments. Brewers don’t get much hype anyway, so this is mainly positive. I’d sure like to see a Monty signing, but it’s the Brewers, so gotta keep things real…
No one else in the division looks great either, if we’re honest. It’s wide, wide open.
It really is. I’d say the Reds and Pirates have to prove something extra in terms of their floor, but it’ll be neck and neck outta the gates and likely most of the year. Injuries always have an effect, and the Cards still have Marmol/Mo as an anchor holding them down. Gonna be an anxiety inducing start to a long year, that’s almost certain.
I am exceptionally curious to see how Gary Sanchez performs this yr. The brewers have an excellent reputation for extracting quality defensive numbers from catchers and that area is really what Gary needs to work on the most. Don’t be surprised if he puts up a 3-4 WAR season…
Lmao I’d be SHOCKED
I’ve read it all on the internet now. Gary Sanchez is going to be a 3-4 WAR player in 2024.
I would be surprised if he puts up anything more than a 1 WAR season.
Sanchez’ hand is hurt counting all that dirty money he gonna make.
$7M for Sanchez? Brew Crew would have been better off trading for JD Davis, at least he can play all over the infield.
First & third isn’t exactly ‘all over the infield’.
Worth noting that Davis may not have been available before the Giants signed Chapman.
they reworked his contract after a physical revealed this hand issue, so now its a 3 mil guarantee with the opp to hit 7 if he hits incentives. i’m fine with this deal
JD Davis plays first and third with questionable defense at third as it is. Not exactly all over the infield. His bat would help as long as he doesn’t have a bad year, but he wouldn’t likely be anymore valuable than Sanchez unless his bat produced well.
There are no bad 1-year free agent deals in baseball, and that’s doubly true for sub-$10M deals. And the Brewers indemnified themselves further by reworking $4M of it into bonuses and eliminating the mutual option buyout. It’s hard to imagine being mad about it, especially with how he hammers LHP (which was still a deficiency of the current Brewers lineup).
I believe there was some concern about Sanchez’s wrist when he was signed. Anyone know if there’s any relation to this hand issue? Not even sure if it’s his left or right.
i believe this hand issue is what caused the reworking of his contract. it is unrelated to the wrist
It was the cause for the restructure. Didn’t know this was unrelated. Thanks
Sanchez obviously isn’t a master of his domain
I wonder how this hand injury did occur for Sanchez?
Frelick playing third increases Wiemer’s chance of making the team and hurts Ortiz or Turang, maybe Bauers. I think Haase still makes the team.
Pretty sure Weimer starts the year in AAA. He needs to work on consistency with at bats. 2B and 3B are the big question marks. Big 2 weeks coming up for that competition.
Frelick playing any appreciable time at third means the team needs to carry another outfielder. Miller would be the only other player with
OF experience, and I don’t see Perkins getting the nod over Wiemer.
Unless someone steps up, 2B and 3B is just going to be a rotation of matchups and who’s hot. Miller and Monasterio, along with Frelick maybe, would be the primary infielders. Ortiz and Turang would be included if they make the team.
Well glad to see that kicking the ball around with Landon Donavan had nothing to do with the back injury. As long as the Brewers can trade him for a big ransom in July all will be fine.
If Turang and Wiemer play large roles on this team its gonna be a long season
I have a hard time seeing more than 80 wins for the Brewers. But that could be enough to be in the Division race.
I like Sal at 3rd. Great way to keep him in. Milwaukee loves him, especially after his intro last season. I really hope this works out.