The Milwaukee Brewers are currently in the middle of a tough 13 game stretch that features teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks (x2) and the Philadelphia Phillies. On Sunday the Brew Crew had a chance to sweep the Diamondbacks but they ended up losing in extra innings by a score of 11-10. Closer Devin Williams loosened in the bullpen on multiple occasions but oddly did not enter the game. Post game manager Pat Murphy explained why.
Devin Williams loosened in the bullpen on multiple occasions Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Entering the ninth inning on Sunday the Brewers and Diamondbacks were tied 8-8. Milwaukee got a runner on base during the top of the inning, but failed to score. While the Brew Crew was batting Devin Williams was loosening in the bullpen. Teams commonly will use their closer in tie games (or with the lead) during the ninth inning so that their best bullpen arm avoids having to deal with ghost runners in extra innings, but Pat Murphy elected to use Jared Koenig instead.
Jared Koenig ended up tossing a scoreless 14 pitch ninth inning and then the Brewers plated two runs during the top of the 10th off a Jackson Chourio triple. During this time Devin Williams was loosening again, but Pat Murphy stuck with Koenig in the bottom of the 10th. The result was three straight hits, a hit batter to tie the game, and then a walk off RBI hit from the Diamondbacks.
Why didn’t Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy use Devin Williams in the ninth or 10th innings?
Pat Murphy explained post game that he only wanted to use Devin Williams for a specific batter or maybe two. Murphy said Williams was available but not for an extended outing. Prior to Sunday’s game Williams had thrown in three of the last five games that consisted of a combined 53 pitches on September 10, 12, and 13th.
Murphy’s explanation is reassuring in that Williams had no underlying injury that was preventing him from entering, but it is still odd that despite not entering the game he still had to warm up twice and throw unnecessary pitches in the bullpen.
Devin William comments the odd decision to not have him pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Post game Devin Williams was asked about warming up twice and not entering the game. He indicated that he would have entered if the team took the lead in the ninth and that despite looking frustrated at the end of the game he “understands the decisions that were made” regarding him not being used in the 10th inning.
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