Brewers' Devin Williams Replacement Projected As All-Star Candidate In 2025

The Brewers could be in good hands even without Williams...

Sep 10, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill (29) pitches during the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images / Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers, whether self-imposed or not, have to win a little differently than the big-market teams in Major League Baseball.

Because they don't typically pay premium contracts to sign free agents, the Brewers have made a habit of trading their All-Star players before they hit the open market. They did it with Josh Hader and Corbin Burnes in years past, and in December, they did it with closer Devin Williams.

Williams, who was sent to the New York Yankees for starting pitcher Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin, is a big loss for the Brewers to stomach. But fortunately, they already have experience replacing him.

When Williams missed the first half of the 2024 season with a back injury, it was fourth-year veteran Trevor Megill who stepped up to take over closer duties. Megill did an admirable job, and he'll likely be asked to do that same job on a more permanent basis moving forward.

On Wednesday, Just Baseball's Zach Worden attempted to project five first-time All-Stars for the 2025 season, and named Megill as a candidate thanks to the opportunity he'll have to serve as the Brewers' full-time closer if healthy.

"If he can stay healthy in 2025, Megill has a chance to be one of MLB’s top closers," Worden wrote. "In posting a 32.8% chase rate and 29.7% whiff rate, the 31-year-old demonstrated that he’s able to miss bats and rack up strikeouts while only throwing two pitches."

"Predicting which relievers are set to break out in any particular year is nearly an impossible task. But Megill has clearly shown that he has the skills to close out games, and now, with the opportunity in front of him to follow in the footsteps of his dominant predecessors, he could break onto the national stage with a strong first half."

Megill, 31, posted a 2.72 ERA and 3.10 FIP in 46 1/3 innings with the Brewers in 2024, including his first 21 career saves. He now owns a 137 career ERA+ as a member of the Brewers, compared to a 67 ERA+ in two seasons with other clubs.

One never knows how a first-time closer will take to the role, so it's a good sign that Megill has already excelled in his first go-around. But the Brewers are hoping that even if he can't quite be the dominant closer Williams was, he can do his part to keep them at the top of the National League Central.

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