Welcome to The Bronx, Devin Williams.
The Yankees landed the 30-year-old right-handed reliever and two-time All-Star from the Brewers on Friday, sending lefty pitcher Nestor Cortes, minor league second baseman Caleb Durbin and money to Milwaukee.
To get slightly extra acquainted with Williams, right here’s a glance again on the highs and lows of the Bombers’ latest bullpen arm.
The Highs
Righty will get paid
A second-round choose within the 2013 novice draft, Williams had dedicated to the University of Missouri however as a substitute determined to forego faculty ball for the professional ranks.
That resolution netted the 18-year-old a $1.35 million signing bonus.
Williams pitched within the Arizona League and the Pioneer League in 2013 and 2014, respectively, earlier than reaching the Single-A stage in 2015.
He pitched as each a starter and reliever as he labored his means up via the Brewers’ farm system.
The Show Beckons
Williams made his skilled debut on Aug. 7, 2019 as a 24-year-old towards the Pirates, tossing 1 2/3 innings and putting out three one whereas surrendering three hits and two runs, none of which had been earned.
Rookie of the Year marketing campaign
During the COVID-shortened 2020, Williams posted a staggering 0.33 ERA — the bottom mark in a single season with at the least 21 innings pitched since at the least 1913.
Across 22 appearances, the reliever struck out half the batters he confronted and surrendered simply 18 hits in 27 innings.
With his Rookie of the Year honors, Williams turned the primary reduction pitcher to take residence the award since Craig Kimbrel (Braves) in 2011.
He additionally nabbed the primary of his two Trevor Hoffman Awards as the highest NL reliever of the yr.
The new nearer on the town
It was fairly the head-scratcher in 2022: in the midst of a pennant race, whereas main the NL Central by three video games, the Brewers dealt away four-time All-Star, Josh Hader.
The blockbuster deal was a catastrophe for everybody concerned — Sans Williams that’s.
In his age 27 season, the reliever assumed closing duties and by no means seemed again.
He gained his second Trevor Hoffman Award in 2023 with a career-high 36 saves, and Milwaukee and the reliever agreed to a one-year, $7.25 million contract — far and away essentially the most profitable of his profession — to keep away from arbitration in 2024.
Hey now, you’re an All-Star
Not surprisingly, Williams has been an All-Star twice (2022 and 2023).
Over these two years, Williams tossed 119 1/3 innings whereas permitting simply 23 earned runs.
During that span, he amassed 183 strikeouts and a stellar 1.73 ERA.
The lows
Ouchies!
Williams partied slightly bit too onerous after the Brewers clinched the NL Central in September 2021, punching a wall and fracturing his pitching hand.
Shortly thereafter, Milwaukee introduced that their prime reliever would miss the rest of the season.
Without Williams — who had pitched to a 2.50 ERA in 58 appearances on the season — the Brewers fell by the hands of the Braves within the NLDS.
Polar Bear bash
It was a house run so monumental even Mets radio voice Howie Rose acquired a standing ovation.
With his Mets on the verge of extinction — down 2-0 towards the Brewers within the ninth inning of the win-or-go-home NL Wild Card Series’ Game 3 this October — Pete Alonso put the borough on his again and delivered his signature Mets second.
His line drive residence run over the appropriate subject wall towards Williams helped elevate New York over Milwaukee, 4-2, and booked New York an NLDS date with the Phillies.
Williams’ closing stat line from that fateful night: 2/3 innings, three hits and 4 earned runs.
Across 21 2/3 innings pitched throughout the common season in 2024, he had given up just one residence run and three earned runs.
(Potential) pitch-tipper
Shortly after Alonso knocked out the Brewers, it got here to gentle that Williams might have goofed on the hill.
Jomboy Media posted a breakdown of Williams’ supply, which illustrated a slight distinction in the way in which the reliever held his glove forward of changeups versus fastballs.
That problem might have … tipped … the scales in favor of the Mets.
