Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams is expected to miss around three months with two stress fractures in his back, a league source said.
News of the injury comes three days after manager Pat Murphy said Williams would visit a back specialist after feeling stiffness in his lower back this spring.
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“He’s dealt with it for a couple of weeks,” Murphy said. “It just doesn’t feel right, so we wanted to get it looked at by a specialist. We just figured, ‘Why not take every precaution?'”
Williams also pitched through back pain late last season. Last week, he consulted with Brewers medical personnel and had imaging done on his back, which didn’t reveal anything too concerning, Murphy said. However, when his discomfort persisted, Williams made plans to visit Dr. Robert Watkins, an orthopedic spine surgeon in Los Angeles who has treated other MLB players, Murphy said.
Williams, 29, had a strong 2023 campaign, posting a 1.53 ERA with 36 saves and a 0.92 WHIP in 58 2/3 innings pitched. He earned his second All-Star selection and won his second National League Reliever of the Year Award.
ESPN was first to report news of Williams’ injury timeline.
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(Photo: Eric Hartline / USA Today)