Top Brewers reliever Devin Williams will not be on the Brewers’ Wild Card Series roster due to a yet-unspecified arm issue, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports (via Twitter). Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tweets that Williams is dealing with shoulder soreness that isn’t considered a major issue but is enough to keep him from participating in this three-game series. It’s a massive blow for a Brewers club that was already considered a sizable underdog to the top-seeded Dodgers.
Williams, 26, posted an explosive rookie season during which he recorded a 0.33 ERA and 0.86 FIP with a ridiculous 17.7 K/9 against 3.0 BB/9 through 27 frames. Williams struck out 53 percent of the batters he faced on the year.
The Brewers formally announced their roster just minutes after Passan’s report, confirming Williams’ absence. Here’s how it breaks down:
Right-Handed Pitchers
- Ray Black
- Adrian Houser
- Corey Knebel
- Josh Lindblom
- Freddy Peralta
- Drew Rasmussen
- Justin Topa
- Brandon Woodruff
- Eric Yardley
Left-Handed Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Milwaukee’s roster also omits southpaw Brett Anderson, who dealt with a blister on his pitching hand late in the season, leaving them with just 12 arms on which to rely. That’s a bit surprising in today’s game, particularly for a Brewers club that lacks a defined rotation picture behind right-hander Brandon Woodruff.
