Changeup of Brewers’ Williams continues to baffle hitters
He comes out of the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen in big spots. One of his pitches is so devastating, it’s baffled opposing hitters all summer long. Right now, he looks like the best reliever in baseball.
And, no, we’re not talking about Josh Hader.
Milwaukee reliever Devin Williams has had a better 2020 season than perhaps anyone else. The 25-year-old’s career trajectory has never looked more promising.
More Brewers coverage
A second-round pick by the Brewers in 2013, Williams slowly climbed his way up Milwaukee’s system and finally reached High-A in 2016. He missed the entire 2017 season due to Tommy John surgery, threw 34 innings in 2018 and made it through a full campaign once again in 2019.
Last season also brought about Williams’ MLB debut. In 13 appearances with the Brewers (13 2/3 IP), Williams saw mixed results, logging a 9.2 K/9 and 3.95 ERA but allowing at least one hit or walk in 11 outings — a 1.756 WHIP.
But in 2020? Williams has been on another level. In 15 games (17 IP), the right-hander has allowed just four hits and one earned run while whiffing 35 batters and walking six. He ranks first among relief pitchers in ERA (0.53), WHIP (0.59), BA (.070) and on-base percentage (.172).
The biggest change — pun intended — for Williams from season to season has been his pitch selection. In 2019, Williams threw his sinker 39% of the time — more than any other pitch. He chucked his changeup 36.6% of the time, followed by the four-seam fastball (22%) and cutter (1.6%). The changeup was Williams best pitch (.222 BA) compared to his sinker (.353) and four-seamer (.400).
In 2020, Williams has relied on two pitches — his changeup (thrown 52.1% of the time) and four-seamer (42.6%). He’s tossed just 16 cutters and sinkers combined.
Why would you need more than two pitches when one is absolutely lethal? Opposing hitters have seen 151 changeups from Williams and have whiffed at 61.9% of them. Batters have yet to collect a hit against Williams’ changeup — a 0-for-39 streak to start the season.
Devin Williams: The Best Changeup on the Planet.
[All from the 8th inning] pic.twitter.com/Tdguj3GWez
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 6, 2020
Williams’ emergence into an elite reliever couldn’t come at a better time for Milwaukee, a team that has struggled offensively and needs to earn its wins in tight ball games. Plus, Hader needed a new running mate in the bullpen after the disappointing 2019 campaign, and later, departure, of Jeremy Jeffress.
With Hader’s fastball and Williams’ changeup, the Brewers bullpen is home to two of the most frightening pitches in baseball.
Statistics courtesy Sportradar, Baseball Savant
