Brewers' Manager Pat Murphy Explains Decision To Not Pitch Devin Willliams In Extras

Milwaukee couldn't complete the sweep

Sep 11, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy (21) walks off the field after a pitching change during the sixth inning of the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images / John Hefti-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers' decision not to use All-Star closer Devin Williams on Sunday may have cost them the game.

The Brewers took the reigning National League champions to extra innings in their season finale Sunday, but a tenth-inning meltdown ultimately handed the Arizona Diamondbacks a win. Manager Pat Murphy broke down his reasoning when asked why the club kept left-handed pitcher Jared Koenig in the game rather than Williams.

"It was a consensus decision," Murphy told reporters Sunday night. "Devin's thrown a lot lately and we've gotta think of, we're still in this 13-game stretch and if we brought in Devin for one hitter, a specific hitter or something like that, we could have done it with two outs. He was available but not for any extended period. So if you put him in the game with no outs or something like that, he potentially has to throw a high number of pitches and he's not available. That would be four out of six and then he wouldn't have been available for a while. We'd already used (Trevor) Megill. We wanted to try and get through it."

Williams has a 1.53 ERA with a 32-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .145 batting average against and a 1.02 WHIP in 17 2/3 innings across 18 games this season.

The Brew Crew held a 10-8 lead entering the bottom of the tenth inning and a chance of sweeping the Diamondbacks, however, Arizona quickly fought back then loaded the bases, which allowed third baseman Eugenio Suárez to knock in the winning run off a deep single to right field.

Murphy's decision to not use Williams could have cost the Brewers the game, but ultimately it was the right choice. The possibility of Milwaukee losing Williams due to overuse would have come at a crucial point in the season, as the Brew Crew are about to host the Philadelphia Phillies for a three-game series.

Allowing the 29-year-old to rest puts the bullpen in the best spot for a critical homestand against an NL foe and possible postseason opponent.

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