The Milwaukee Brewers are, at least on paper, not as good as they were in 2023.
Last year, they won the NL Central division with a 92-70 record.
However, they had David Stearns as an advisor and architect of the team since the mid-2010s.
They also had Craig Counsell at the helm, Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes, and Devin Williams.
As of Thursday, however, none of those will be back with the team except for Woodruff, who is out for several more months with an injury.
Stearns left for the New York Mets, Counsell for the Chicago Cubs, Burnes for the Baltimore Orioles, and Williams is experiencing a painful injury, revealed by MLB insider Jeff Passan on Wednesday night.
“Milwaukee Brewers star closer Devin Williams has two stress fractures in his back and is expected to miss around three months, sources tell ESPN. Williams pitched through back soreness in September, but it returned earlier this spring. He’ll rehab and should return by midseason,” he tweeted.
Milwaukee Brewers star closer Devin Williams has two stress fractures in his back and is expected to miss around three months, sources tell ESPN. Williams pitched through back soreness in September, but it returned earlier this spring. He’ll rehab and should return by midseason.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 14, 2024
Ouch.
Passan reported that the stellar reliever visited back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins on Wednesday, and the diagnosis was fractures on both sides of Williams’ T12 vertebra.
The pitcher will rest for six weeks and rehab for six more, but the doctor states he should be good to go eventually.
It’s a bummer that no one could address or diagnose the ailment shortly after the 2023 season.
Williams is one of the single most dominant relievers in baseball, with a career 1.89 ERA and 337 strikeouts in 214 innings.
He took over as the Brewers’ closer after Josh Hader left, and had 36 saves in 40 opportunities in 2023.
The post Insider Reveals Unfortunate Devin Williams Update appeared first on The Cold Wire.