This is not how Devin Williams wanted to end his season. On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Brewers pitcher announced he broke his hand while celebrating the team clinching the NL Central title, which earns them a spot in the playoffs. He told reporters that he punched a wall after celebrating with the team Sunday. The Brewers placed Williams on the 10-day injured list, and it likely means his season is over.ย
“I’m pretty upset with myself. There’s no one to blame but me,” Williams said, per MLB.com. “I feel like I’ve let my team down, our coaching staff, our fans, everyone. I know how important of a role I play on this team and a lot of people count on me.” Williams told his teammates on Tuesday that he stood much to drink and got upset about something on the ride home, that’s when he punched a wall with his pitching hand.ย
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Williams was one of the Brewers’ top relief pitchers, recording a 2.50 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 54 innings this season. This will be the second consecutive year Williams will be on the IL for the postseason as he suffered a right should injury during the final week of the 2020 season. He didn’t take part in the postseason last year as the Brewers lost the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Wild Card series.ย
But even without Williams, the Brewers look like a team that can make a run at the World Series. In the opening round of the playoffs, Milwaukee will play either the Atlanta Braves or the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS starting Oct. 8.ย
“I think the question is a little different because we have a 28-man roster,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said when asked how much his starters will play in the final week of the regular season. “That makes it a little different than how you’d think about it in previous Septembers [when teams could carry up to 40 active players],” Counsell said. “So our guys are going to play. Position players are going to play. We’ll give guys days off, but they’re going to play. With the pitching, we hope to have some flexibility, with the understanding we don’t have to push guys. But I do think it’s important that they continue to pitch. I don’t think much will change.”
