The Airbender Needs to Go to LA

When the 2020 season finally began, nobody knew what to expect. When it came to the awards, people knew the 60-game slate might yield some unexpected results. José Abreu unexpectedly won the AL MVP, and Marlins skipper Don Mattingly took home the NL Manager of the Year award with his upstart Marlins club. Easily the biggest surprise of the year though, was the Brewers Devin Williams taking home the NL Rookie of the Year award over the early season favorite Gavin Lux. 

In case you’re unfamiliar with the masterclass Williams put on in 2020, here are some of the numbers he posted in the shortened season. 

• 27 IP
• 0.33 ERA
• 0.86 FIP
• 53 SO
• 1375 ERA+

Williams' historical season may have put up some mind bending numbers, but that wasn’t the only thing Williams was bending. The primary reason behind his success was his changeup, which was appropriately dubbed the 'airbender.' Whether the airbender was an ode to the critically acclaimed Avatar: The Last Airbender, or if it was just a clever nickname from Pitching Ninja’s Rob Friedman, it didn’t really matter. What mattered was the results. The 2850 spin rate of the airbender helped generate an insane 61.1% whiff rate, and in just 60 games, it became the most unhittable pitch the league had to offer. 

To throw the pitch, Williams grips the ball similarly to a circle change, but there’s a catch. His Middle and Ring Finger are the only 2 fingers that have a real grip on the baseball. His pinky, pointer, and thumb all just lightly touch the ball for some extra stability. When Williams throws the pitch, the motion he makes with his wrist resembles the motion of a screwball, giving it the unique airbender quality.

The Airbender Grip

Williams' first full season wasn’t anywhere near as dominant as his first one, as he started slow and struggled a bit with his command. The airbender has around 17 inches of break when Williams throws it, meaning on some nights, the command escaped him. When he was unable to locate the airbender, he only had a fastball to rely on, which greatly increased the hitters chances of success. Still, Williams turned in a great season as the Brewers 8th inning reliever, posting a ERA of 2.82 and striking out over 14 batters every 9 innings he pitched.

In 2022 Williams started the same way he did in 2021. He had added a new cutter, but he still didn’t quite have his command, and his first handful of outings it showed. As the season has progressed, he has more than settled in. He’s looking more like the 2020 version of himself, with his last 18 appearances (as of 6/25) being scoreless. His baseball savant page from this year might be the prettiest in the big leagues too. Once again, Williams looks near un-hittable. 

Via Baseball Savant, accessed 6/29/22

With less than a month before the MLB sends its All-Stars to Los Angeles, it’s that time where fans begin to clamor about who’s going to represent their respective teams. Both Corbin Burnes and Josh Hader have been brilliant so far, but there may not be a Brewer more deserving than Devin Williams. He’s still looking for his first bid, and 2022 is the perfect time to send Williams and the airbender to Los Angeles.