Devin Williams returns from injury to make season debut: Brewers closer shuts down Marlins in first game

The NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers have added a big piece before the trade deadline, though not in a deal with another team. On Sunday, the Brewers activated All-Star closer Devin Williams off the 60-day injured list. He was diagnosed with stress fractures in his back in spring training and had not pitched at all this season.

Milwaukee wasted no time putting Williams to work. He protected a four-run lead in the ninth inning in Sunday’s win over the Miami Marlins (MIL 6, MIA 2), though it wasn’t the cleanest inning. Williams allowed a single and a walk, and struck out one. He threw 24 pitches. To the action footage:

“I don’t like sitting on the bench. I don’t like being in the dugout. It’s not for me,” Williams said prior to Sunday’s game (via MLB.com). “… It’s gratifying to be back to help carry the load. I put in a lot of hard work up to this point over the past couple of months. To be in this position and back on the field, it feels great.”

Williams, 30 in September, has been one of the game’s top relievers the last few seasons, pitching with a 1.97 ERA with a stellar 38.7% strikeout rate from 2021-23. The 2020 NL Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star (2022 and 2023) struck out six in four scoreless minor-league rehab innings before coming off the injured list.

Hard-throwing righty Trevor Megill has done terrific work filling in as closer this season, going 20 for 22 in save chances and pitching to a 2.41 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings. It’s unclear whether the Brewers will reinsert Williams into the closer’s role right away, or continue to ease him back into action like they did Sunday, with a four-run lead.

Once Williams does return to the closer’s role, manager Pat Murphy’s overstuffed bullpen will look something like this:

• Closer: RHP Devin Williams
• Setup: RHP Trevor Megill, RHP Joel Payamps
• Middle: RHP Nick Mears, RHP Elvis Peguero
• Lefties: LHP Jared Koenig, LHP Hoby Milner
• Long: RHP Jakob Junis, RHP Bryse Wilson
• Injured: LHP Bryan Hudson (oblique)

Milwaukee picked up Mears, who has ugly surface numbers (5.56 ERA and 1.50 WHIP) but standout pitch data, in a relatively minor three-team trade with the Colorado Rockies earlier this weekend. With the bullpen reinforced, the Brewers are now reportedly looking to add to their rotation before Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET trade deadline.

The Brewers improved to 60-45 with Sunday’s win and have a a six-game lead in the NL Central. They are two games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for the National League’s No. 2 seed and thus a Wild Card Series bye.

Right-hander Janson Junk was designated for assignment in a corresponding move to clear a roster spot for Williams.