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Brewers: 5 Candidates to fill the closer's role with Devin Williams out with injury
Devin Williams has two stress fractures in his back and is expected to miss around three months
The Brewers have just lost a big piece of their pitching staff with the news that All Star closer Devin Williams is going to miss the first half of the 2024 season. Now the question is, who's going to fill the void left behind without Williams in the picture for three months?
It's likely that Milwaukee does not go ahead and sign a player that can fill the role as they already have reliable options on the roster and there aren't any free agents left out there at this point that could just be plugged in to the closer's role. It'll be difficult to match what Williams brought on the mound in the 9th inning but the Brewers have a very deep and talented bullpen.
Manager Pat Murphy said that it's likely going to be a rotation of pitchers in that spot rather than just one declared closer. Here are five pitchers that are capable of closing out games for the Brewers to start the 2024 season.
1. Trevor Megill
One of the more obvious options would be to have Trevor Megill fill this role at the beginning of the season. He has never pitched as a closer in his career but he makes a lot of sense to do so. Megill faced 148 batters in 34.1 innings pitched last year for Milwaukee, becoming one of the more reliable pitchers in the bullpen.
Megill also had a 13.50 K/9 and struck out 35.1% of the hitters he faced last season, at that rate he would do just fine coming in to save games. The 30-year-old was used in a variety of different roles last season and carved out a nice spot in the bullpen. Megill only saw the 9th inning four times last season but has the stamina to last if needed.
Megill's triple digit velocity certainly lends itself well to the closer's spot. He earned high leverage spots late last year and should be in line for more of them now with Williams out.
2. Joel Payamps
Another option at closer to begin the season would be Joel Payamps who spent most of last year as the setup man for Devin Williams. Payamps doesn't have much experience as a closing pitcher, but he has three career saves under his belt, which he got last season with Milwaukee.
Payamps arguably had the best season of his career last year posting a 2.55 ERA and 3.48 FIP across 70.2 innings. His track record before that wasn't particluarly shabby either, though, as he's only had one season in which he pitched double digit innings where he had an ERA over 4.00.
Payamps is viewed as one of the more experienced replacements due to the team already relying on him later on in games and perhaps they will hope that transitions to closing games.
3. Abner Uribe
Hard-throwing Abner Uribe is a sleeper option for the closer role as he does have some experience from the minor leagues. Before being called up to the show, Uribe had seven saves along with a 1.80 ERA during his time in Double-A.
While he didn't make it to the majors until part way into the 2023 season, Uribe performed well once he got there. In 30.2 innings pitched, he had a shiny 1.76 ERA and struck out over 30% of the batters that he faced.
He relies on three pitches which are a fastball that reaches that sits around 100 MPH, a sinker, and a slider. Uribe was mainly used in the 7th and 8th innings last season, only appearing in the 9th inning twice, though he did earn his first major league save in one of those two outings.
4. Hoby Milner
The left-handed pitcher who is entering his fourth season with the Brewers has no experience as a closer in his seven-year MLB career. But, he could enter the ninth in certain situations where the opposing team has a left-handed batter on deck or at the plate.
Milner had the best season of his career last year posting a 1.82 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 3.13 FIP. Opposing hitters had a .207 batting average when facing Milner, making him a true threat while throwing on the mound for Milwaukee.
Milner was utilized during many different innings last season but appeared in the 9th inning just six separate times.
5. Elvis Peguero
An option that no one seems to be considering is Elvis Peguero who was a big part of the Brewers bullpen last season. In 61.1 innings pitched, he had a 3.38 ERA and struck out 21.4 K% of opposing batters.
Peguero has a small amount of experience when it comes to closing games as he grabbed five saves in the minor leagues while with the Angels affiliate in 2022. He only relies on two pitches which are a slider that had a 41.0% whiff rate in 2023 and a sinker that sits around 96.0 MPH.
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