MINNEAPOLIS -- Devin Williams trotted in from the bullpen, recorded three outs on nine pitches and walked to the dugout to watch the rest of the Brewers’ 6-3 win over the Twins at Target Field. Make it 24 consecutive scoreless appearances and counting now, and a Major League-leading 23 holds.
Does that sound like an All-Star?
It does to Williams’ teammates.
And though he was a bit shy about saying so, it does to him, too.
“I think I deserve to be there,” he said after the Brewers outlasted three rain delays lasting 1 hour and 43 minutes to beat the Twins in the opener of a quick, two-game series. “I would like to be there. But that’s just out of my hands.”
What would it mean to Williams to make it? He’s a former top Draft pick, after all -- the Brewers didn’t have a first-round pick in 2013, the year they took Williams in the second round -- who underwent Tommy John surgery as a Minor Leaguer and emerged with one of baseball’s most uniquely nasty changeups to win the 2020 National League Rookie of the Year Award.
“It would mean a lot. I’ve never been an All-Star at any level,” Williams said. “There was never a time at any level that I feel like I deserved that, either. But now I do. I feel like I’m a Top 5 reliever in the National League. If there’s five relievers going, I think I should be one of them. But I’m not the decision-maker.”
The decision rests with Major League Baseball at this point, as replacements are added to the NL roster as pitchers either line up to start Sunday’s first-half finale or opt to drop out, as Brewers closer Josh Hader did on Tuesday in order to spend the break with his wife and newborn son. MLB named Hader’s replacement as left-handed starter Carlos Rodón, who is having a fabulous year for the Giants.
There’s still time for Williams and other worthy NL hopefuls, who include Phillies starters Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, and Giants starter Logan Webb. Replacements can be added all the way until Sunday and even beyond if necessary.
Williams’ teammates are taking their cases public, including former NL All-Star Andrew McCutchen via Twitter on Tuesday afternoon.
“I think it’s a little hard with the All-Star Game just being a reliever and not a closer, you don’t really get the recognition as a closer would,” said Hader. “He would be a closer on any team in the league. For him to be there would be a great honor to him and the team. I think we’re gonna get him in, for sure.”
Hader and the Brewers’ other All-Star, ace right-hander Corbin Burnes, both stumped for Williams when the initial list of All-Star pitchers and reserves was released on Sunday. As Hader said, “His stats speak enough.”
Williams’ stats include a 1.87 ERA in a team-leading 37 appearances. His 41.2 percent strikeout rate is third-best among Major League relievers who have logged at least 20 innings -- trailing just All-Stars Edwin Diaz of the Mets and Hader. His .147 opponents’ average is eighth-best in that pool of pitchers. His 1.56 FIP is fourth-best.
What Williams doesn’t have in bulk are saves, since Hader (MLB-leading 27th save on Tuesday) gets most of the opportunities.
“Devin has thrown the ball great all year,” said Burnes. “When you have Hader and Devin and even [Brad Boxberger] in the back half of games, it definitely makes a difference when you get to the seventh inning. I think he’s as deserving as anyone.”
Said Hader: “Just what he’s been able to do since he’s come up and to be as dominant as he has [is impressive]. And to be able just to grow as a pitcher, as well.”
That growth is reflected in Williams’ pitch distribution. Last season he threw 63.8 percent changeups and got 70 strikeouts in the 170 plate appearances that ended with that pitch. This year, the strikeouts on the changeup are down somewhat as hitters adapt, so Williams has dropped its usage to about 54 percent and thrown more fastballs.
The results lately have been excellent. He has allowed seven hits and eight walks versus 37 strikeouts over his 24-outing scoreless streak, which extended on Tuesday night after McCutchen and Willy Adames hit two-run home runs and pitchers Jason Alexander, Jandel Gustave and Hoby Milner managed to get through the rainy portion of the evening with a lead for Boxberger, Williams and Hader.
“I’m hopeful [about an All-Star nod]. Very hopeful,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “He certainly deserves it. We understand that there’s a good list of pitchers that are having good years and you respect that. But he’s every bit of what those guys are doing, too, and completely deserving.”