Brewers By the (Jersey) Numbers '23 - #38 Devin Williams

Meteoric is a term that gets applied to the ascent of today's BBtJN subject, but it's one with which I disagree.

Since a permanent switch to relief in the minors ahead of the 2019 season, it's more accurate, but even then that term belies the amount of hard work put in following a 2nd round draft position and back-and-forth role changes.

What that hard work allowed #38 on our countdown to Opening Day to really do was to refine his approach, command his repertoire, and learn how best to unleash a pitch that has a cult following of its own.

Photo credit: © Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Yes, Devin Williams and his "Airbender" are interwoven concepts in a game that loves and thrives on its narratives. I actually interviewed Williams via email shortly after his first full season in professional baseball. He's had this pitch for a while, but it's certainly the offering which has helped make him a household name in the sport. After a somewhat milquetoast debut of 13 games in The Show in 2019, Williams annihilated his competition in 2020 en route to not only winning the National League's Rooke of the Year Award but finishing seventh in the Cy Young Award voting as well as 18th in balloting for the league's Most Valuable Player Award. Lest we forget, he also was named as the NL's Reliever of the Year in 2020, hence my given nickname for him of "ROY Williams" highlighting both awards he won that season.

After a slow start while recovering from a shoulder injury in late 2020 that cost him Postseason participation, 2021 was another tremendous campaign overall for Williams as he proved his mettle and staying power as an elite, leverage bullpen arm.

In recapping his 2022 season properly, however, we are forced to remember his injury at the end of the 2021 season which slowed his start last year. And while Williams' shoulder inflammation in late 2020 was unfortunate, his broken pitching hand suffered after getting home following the team's Postseason clinching victory was his own fault and once again resulted in no Postseason for the dynamic right-hander.

That said, 2022 was indeed a masterclass in relief work again by the now 28-year-old Williams.

65 G, 1.93 ERA, 60.2 IP, 31 H, 17 R (13 ER), 2 HR, 30 BB, 96 K, 205 ERA+, 2.01 FIP, 1.005 WHIP, 40.0 K%, 51.4 GB%, 2.2 fWAR, 3.46 WPA

That's a stat line to really absorb for a few moments.

Williams also finished with 15 saves following the disastrous midseason trade of Josh Hader away from the Brewers, a move that Williams was openly critical of when it shocked Milwaukee's clubhouse.

The Brewers were in 1st place when it happened, and ended up missing the Postseason altogether, falling two wins short of overtaking the eventual NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies.

For his part, Williams did come around quickly to the getting his new job done and helping the Brewers win a lot of games down the stretch, but the reverberations of that failed Hader trade colored so much of Williams' season that it couldn't be left out.

One other thing worth mentioning about Williams' 2022: It's often said that the greatest ability for an athlete is "availability." If that's true, then it's another elite tool in Williams' kit. Nobody should forget the May series in San Diego when Hader was not with the team when Williams pitched in games on three straight days for the first time in his career. Nor should it be overlooked that he did it again in mid-July and technically again in early August when he also pitched in four games in a five-day span. In fact, Williams pitched on no days rest 18 times in 2022, something a closer must be able to do with regularity because you never can be certain when game-changing opportunities will arise.

Perhaps ironically given how well he's pitched as a big leaguer, after the two injuries and the 2022 team miss, Williams still hasn't pitched in a MLB Postseason in his career. That's something the 2023 Brewers will look to remedy.

Williams seems to be in good spirits so far in camp (as evidenced by the available social media nuggets), and his performance will be a key one in the fortunes for the 2023 team.

Contract Status: This off-season, Williams received his first arbitration-eligible-fueled salary bump and will make $3.35 million on a one-year contract on which he and the club agreed to terms.

2023 Outlook: Williams has one of the easiest outlooks to write: Closer.

Please verbalize that period when reading that. Williams has the 9th inning all to himself as often as he is available to pitch in a game, and as I outlined a few inches north of these words, Williams was available a lot in 2022. Manager Craig Counsell might juggle his set-up options until he finds his preferred guy (or guys) for that role, but whomever he takes the ball from after the 8th inning with a lead, it'll be Devin "ROY" Williams in the 9th.

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Catch up on BBtJN '23!

#55 Hoby Milner
#54 Jake Cousins
#53 Brandon Woodruff
#52 Eric Lauer
#51 Freddy Peralta
#39 Corbin Burnes