In four years in the majors, Milwaukee Brewers reliever Devin Williams has been the National League Rookie of the Year (2020) and an N.L. All-Star (2022). With the trade of Josh Hader to San Diego, it appears that Williams will be thrust into more of the closer role for the Brew Crew in 2023.
Williams has pitched in 158 games, has an 18-7 record, a 2.03 ERA and 18 saves. The 28-year-old will be looked upon to be the anchor of what the Brewers hope will be a bullpen that can lead them back into the N.L. post-season.
Devin Williams tied for 5th on this all-time list
If we dive a little deeper into the numbers with Devin Williams, there’s a heady stat that finds Williams among some of the top pitchers of all-time. His 2.03 is listed as the fifth-best ERA of all pitchers with a minimum of 150 or more career innings pitched. Of the Top 10 on this list, Williams and fellow reliever Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians are the only recent pitchers on the list; Clase is ranked #1 with his career 1.47 ERA in 165.2 innings pitched, and Williams is tied for the #5 spot with his 2.03 ERA.
The rest of the Top 10 in this stat of the best career ERA of all-time are pitchers from the early days of baseball. Here is the Top 10 list for lowest ERA for a career (minimum of 150 innings pitched to qualify). Each pitchers’ years in the majors are also noted.
Lowest career ERA in MLB history
Emmanuel Clase, 1.47, 2019-22
Ed Walsh, 1.82, 1904-17
Addie Joss, 1.89, 1902-10
Jack Pfiester, 2.20, 1903-11
Devin Williams, 2.03, 2019-22
Smoky Joe Wood, 2.03, 1908-22
Mordecai Brown, 2.06, 1903-16
Buttons Briggs, 2.08, 1904-05
Rube Waddell, 2.13, 1900-10
Christy Mathewson, 2.13, 1900-16
There are also five more recent hurlers who have spots in this Top 50. They are:
#15-Mariano Rivera, 2.21, 1995-2013
#27 (tie)-Billy Wagner, 2.31, 1995-2010
#27 (tie)-Craig Kimbrel, 2.31, 2010-22
#31 (tie)-Takachi Saito, 2.34, 2006-12
#44-Mike Adams, 2.42, 2004-14
Best ERA for Brewers’ hurlers
Looking at the Brewers pitchers in their 54-year history, obviously Williams 2.03 ERA tops the list. Brewers pitchers who are in the franchise Top 5 (minimum of 150 IP with the Brewers) are Williams-2.03, Ken Sanders-2.22, Josh Hader-2.48, Rollie Fingers, 2.54, and Jeremy Jeffress-2.66.
Brewers starting pitchers with a minimum of 30 games started for the franchise show Jim Lonborg’s 2.83 ERA tops on the list. Current starters Brandon Woodruff (3.18) and Corbin Burnes (3.21) hold the second and third spot.
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