Devin Williams

29-Year-Old PitcherRP

Milwaukee Brewers

60-Day IL

Injury Back

Est. Return 7/20/2024

2024 Stats

W-L

0-0

ERA

0.00

WHIP

0.00

Rest-of-Season Projections

W-L

ERA

WHIP

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2024 Fantasy Outlook

After another spectacular season in 2023, Williams finds himself at the center of trade rumors - similar to former teammate Josh Hader a few years ago. Williams is under team control for 2 more seasons before he becomes a free-agent in 2026 and there's no question he would command a haul if Milwaukee were to trade him. For now, the 2-time All-Star enters 2024 as the Brewers' unquestioned closer after tallying a career-high 36 saves last season. Williams' devastating "Airbender" changeup remained effective (.097 BAA), while his mid-90's 4-seamer generated a career-best 42% whiff rate. His walk rate was poor, but consistent with recent outputs and he improved his ratios for the second consecutive year. The right hander's 1.53 ERA was 6th-best among qualified relievers, while his 0.92 WHIP was 4th-best. Consistency is what you can expect from Williams, who is a candidate to be the first closer off the board in drafts this spring. Read Past Outlooks

RANKSFrom Preseason

#167

ADP

Overall

Dynasty

League Majors

Bats R

Throws R

40 Man No

Height 6'2"

Weight 200

DOB 9/21/1994

Born St. Louis, MO

College None

Drafted 2nd Rd 2013 MIL

Aims for return by All-Star break

PMilwaukee Brewers

Back

April 10, 2024

Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said Wednesday that Williams (back) is expected to be out until around the All-Star break, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

ANALYSIS
Initial estimates in mid-March when Williams was diagnosed with two stress fractures in his back had the closer missing three months. Arnold's timetable appears to be more conservative than that, although with Williams yet to resume baseball activities, any timetable is approximate at this juncture. Abner Uribe has been serving as the Brewers' closer early on this season.

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Pitching Stats

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2023

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2024 MLB Game Log

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2023 MLB Game Log

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2022 MLB Game Log

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2021 MLB Game Log

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2020 MLB Game Log

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Minor League Game Log

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Left/Right Pitching Splits

Since 2022

-38%

BAA vs RHP

2024

No Stats

2023

-30%

BAA vs RHP

2022

-47%

BAA vs RHP

	BAA	Batters	K	BB	H	2B	3B	HR
Since 2022vs Left	.177	219	57	28	33	7	0	2
Since 2022vs Right	.109	252	126	30	24	4	0	4
2024vs Left	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2024vs Right	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2023vs Left	.152	118	26	18	15	4	0	0
2023vs Right	.107	113	61	10	11	2	0	4
2022vs Left	.207	101	31	10	18	3	0	2
2022vs Right	.110	139	65	20	13	2	0	0
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Home/Away Pitching Splits

Since 2022

-33%

ERA at Home

2024

No Stats

2023

-50%

ERA at Home

2022

-12%

ERA at Home

	ERA	WHIP	IP	W	L	SV	K/9	BB/9	HR/9
Since 2022Home	1.41	0.83	63.2	7	4	26	14.3	4.1	0.3
Since 2022Away	2.10	1.11	55.2	7	3	25	13.3	4.7	0.6
2024Home	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2024Away	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2023Home	1.07	0.80	33.2	5	1	18	13.4	4.3	0.3
2023Away	2.16	1.08	25.0	3	2	18	13.3	4.3	1.1
2022Home	1.80	0.87	30.0	2	3	8	15.3	3.9	0.3
2022Away	2.05	1.14	30.2	4	1	7	13.2	5.0	0.3
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Prospect Rankings History

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Defensive Stats

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Stats Vs Today's Lineup

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Latest Fantasy Rumors

Milwaukee considering trade

PMilwaukee Brewers

February 2, 2024

The Brewers have "entertained the possibility" of trading Williams, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

ANALYSIS
Milwaukee dealt ace Corbin Burnes on Thursday, and while the team isn't expected to completely punt on 2024, trading other key contributors can't be ruled out if it would improve the Brewers' long-term outlook. Williams is owed $7.25 million this season and has a $10.5 million club option for 2025, so he has a team-friendly contract in addition to being one of the top relievers in baseball, making him a highly desirable trade chip.

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Past Fantasy Outlooks

2023

2022

2021

2020

2017

2016

2015

2014

Williams made his first All Star team in 2022 after an impressive first half as Milwaukee's setup man. Once Josh Hader was traded, many assumed Williams would become the Brewers primary closer, but the team used him as part of a committee for a bit before finally turning things over during the final month. Williams finished with a career high 15 saves, including seven of Milwaukee's last nine. Momentum is certainly on his side as we forecast closers for 2023, especially since his Statcast metrics were off the charts. Williams was 99th percentile or better across nine diffferent metrics, including strikeout rate and hard hit rate. The one area that continues to be a problem is walks, but that's bound to happen when you have insane movement on your changeup - a pitch so filthy that it has its own nickname. While the "Airbender" gets the attention, Williams really improved the effectiveness of his 4-seamer (.090 BAA), which supplemented the change as a secondary strikeout pitch.

The 2020 National League Rookie of the Year and Reliever of the Year was expected to regress a bit last season after posting ridiculous numbers in the COVID-19 shortened campaign. Williams' 2021 journey ended up being a roller coaster that left and returned to the station on a bumpy track. He struggled early on with a 4.19 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 12 walks across 19.1 innings through the end of May. From June through August, he was lights-out with a 0.60 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 48:12 K:BB over 30 innings. Williams even recorded the first three saves of his career before he fractured his right hand while celebrating Milwaukee's NL Central division title. He ended up missing the playoffs, which was a big blow to the Brewers. Williams finished the season with eight wins, 23 holds and a respectable 2.50 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. He is expected to be ready for spring training in his familiar setup role to Josh Hader.

Williams was not guaranteed a spot in the Brewers' bullpen heading into last season, but my, how things change. That last word is key, as Williams' changeup helped him transition from afterthought to one of the best relievers in the league. Williams threw the pitch more than half the time and coupled that with a fastball that averaged a tick under 97 mph. He threw a slider here and there, but on the strength of his two-pitch mix he allowed just one earned run and averaged just shy of two punchouts out per inning. Relievers -- particularly those that don't close -- rarely factor into the ROY mix, but Williams was so good he took home the award in the NL. He was named the top NL Reliever to boot. On the heels of his dominant campaign, Williams will be one of the top relievers to target in fantasy circles. If Josh Hader is moved in the offseason, only a couple relievers would be more desirable in fantasy drafts than Williams.

After working mostly as a starter for his first five seasons as a professional, Williams transitioned to a full-time relief role in 2019 and the move immediately paid dividends. The right-hander started the season with Double-A Biloxi, where he pitched well enough to be selected for the Futures Game. He ultimately earned a promotion to Triple-A San Antonio in late July after compiling a 2.36 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 53.1 innings with the Shuckers. Williams made three scoreless appearances for the Missions before earning a promotion to the majors, where he posted a 3.95 ERA, 1.76 WHIP and 14:6 K:BB across 13.2 innings down the stretch. The 25-year-old showed reverse splits with both Biloxi and the big-league club. Williams will probably have to cut down on his walks (13.2 BB% at Double-A in 2019) if he wants to become a reliable bullpen piece for the Brewers in 2020.

Williams already has an average-to-plus changeup to go with a fastball capable of hitting 95 mph. That alone gives Williams, Milwaukee's second-round pick, a good chance of eventually landing in a major league rotation. Add the fact that the 6-foot-3 righty has room to bulk up and continues to improve his breaking pitches and it's looking like the 22-year-old can travel quickly up the organizational ladder. The question will be if he can overcome his control, which has been shaky at best in his professional career. Williams walked more than four batters per nine innings at both Low-A and High-A, and while he has been nasty enough to get away with it thus far, the upper levels of professional ball won't be so kind. In order to continue his development as a starter, Williams needs to show signs of improving his control in 2017.

Williams spent his first season in the minors in 2015, playing for Low-A Wisconsin. He's only 21-years old, but already has three full seasons in the Brewers' organization and is one of their top prospects on the rise. Despite a 3-9 record, Williams posted a 3.44 ERA and 1.25 WHIP on the mound in the 2015 season after coming off a forearm strain that kept him out until late May. Looking ahead to the 2016 season, Williams will continue to climb through the minors but it looks unlikely to expect him to make the big league roster in the next year.

Since being taken out of high school in the second round of the 2013 draft, Williams has fooled hitters with 105 strikeouts in 101 innings, thanks mainly to his quality fastball that hovers in the low-to-mid 90s. His ERA slipped from his first season to his second, but he cut his walks in half, and has given up just five home runs as a pro. After spending the last two seasons in rookie ball, he could see his first action at the Low-A level in 2014.

The Brewers lost their first-round pick last season after signing Kyle Lohse, but they still snagged Williams, whom some considered a first-round talent, in the middle of the second round. Williams already throws a fastball in the mid-90s, and he could add more velocity as he matures. He still has some work to do on his curveball and changeup, and will need to cut down his walks, but he threw the ball well in his professional debut, posting a 3.38 ERA and striking out 39 batters over 34.2 innings. Williams will not turn 20 until next offseason, so the Brewers may opt to keep him in the Rookie Leagues for now. However, Williams has the potential to be a top-end starter a few years down the road.

More Fantasy News

Transferred to 60-day IL

PMilwaukee Brewers

Back

April 9, 2024

The Brewers transferred Williams (back) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday.

ANALYSIS
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Heads to IL

PMilwaukee Brewers

Back

March 28, 2024

The Brewers placed Williams (back) on the 15-day injured list Thursday.

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Set to miss three months

PMilwaukee Brewers

Back

March 13, 2024

Williams was diagnosed with two stress fractures in his back Wednesday and will miss approximately three months, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

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Set to see spine specialist

PMilwaukee Brewers

Back

March 10, 2024

Williams is dealing with a sore back and will get a second opinion from a spine specialist in the coming week, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

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Avoids arbitration

PMilwaukee Brewers

January 11, 2024

Williams agreed to a one-year contract with the Brewers on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

ANALYSIS
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