On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The Milwaukee Brewers found out this week they’d be without All-Star Closer Devin Williams, due to two stress fractures in his lower back. The Brewers won the National League Central last season, but have taken a few hits heading into 2024. They traded Corbin Burnes to the Orioles this offseason, will be missing Brandon Woodruff most likely for the year, and now will miss Devin Williams for three months. Not exactly how you want to kick off a new season, missing one of the game’s best closers. Williams last year appeared in 61 games going 8-3, with an ERA of 1.53 and 36 saves last season.
Who’s Next in Line?
RHP – Trevor Megill
Trevor Megill is six foot 8 and weighs in at 255 lbs while having a fastball that sits just under 100 Mph on average. He has the build, he has the power arm and he now has the opportunity in front of him to show what he can do under extreme pressure. Megill utilizes two pitches a four-seam fastball (73%) and a knuckle curve (27%) during the last two seasons. He abandoned his slider after the 2021 season. When looking at Megill’s numbers the K/9 rate is great 13.5 and 0.5 HR/9. If Megill can keep the control in check I think he has the power arm that can fill in nicely for Williams in his extended time on the IL. Over 34.2 innings last year Megill walked 12 batters and struck out 52, giving up only two home runs.
RHP – Joel Payamps
Joel Payamps is a veteran pitcher who last year had three saves, in 69 games, 70.2 innings worked, with a 7-5 record and an ERA of 2.55. Payamps uses four pitches Slider (43.8%), Sinker (22.1%), four-seamer (21.9), and a changeup (12.2%) of the time. His fastball sits around 95 MPH for velocity so not quite as powerful as Megill, but he also doesn’t lean on that pitch as much either in comparison. Payamps 9.8 K/9 is lower than Megill and his BB/9 is as well. Payamps did give up 8 home runs last year which as a closer would concern me some.
Summary
I think the best thing for the Brewers to do is to allow Megill to take the role over and keep Payamps in his role from last season it was his best season so far in his career and I wouldn’t mess with it right out of the gate. I think a power arm like Megill’s will work fine as long as he can control the strike zone and continue to strike batters out at his high rate per 9 innings. Now what I am about to say might upset some folks, but what’s the worse that happens Megill comes out and succeeds in the role during the first three months for the Brewers team who on paper with its current pitching staff appears to have taken a step back in the Central? What if the 30-year-old Megill allows the Brewers the option to showcase Devin Williams when he returns and then can Trade Williams before the deadline to a team looking for closer or additional bullpen help? Or the team keeps Megill allowing him to become an elite setup man while Williams hopefully comes back the same pitcher without any further issues with his back. If Megill struggles then the team can turn to Joel Payamps and hope he can fill in until Williams is ready. In the end for a team like the Brewers who by Mid-June hope to still be in the hunt in the Central if so they will have a strong back end of the bullpen, if they aren’t doing well and sit in the bottom two in the division they will have some options on how to strengthen the roster for the future perhaps. Trevor Megill is the best fit for the Closer role in the meantime, what happens after will be interesting.
More must-reads:
- Former Yankees, Mariners prospect hospitalized following motorcycle crash
- Yankees make history in Game 3 comeback against Blue Jays
- The 'MLB playoff debut strikeouts leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Yankees Nation Turns On Aaron Boone As Anthony Volpe Gamble Sparks Fear After Paul Goldschmidt Call
Dodgers make bold decision on closer role for rest of postseason
The Los Angeles Dodgers will play a decisive Game 3 of the National League Division Series at home on Wednesday. If they beat the Philadelphia Phillies, they will advance to the National League Championship Series for the second time in two seasons. After getting great starting pitching from Shohei Ohtani and Blake Snell, the bullpen has finally become a well-oiled machine, pitching 6.0 innings and allowing eight hits, three earned runs, two walks and three strikeouts in the first two games of the series. Finding their groove, every member of the bullpen appears to have their own role, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts seemingly allowing that to happen and designating Roki Sasaki as his "primary" closer. Dodgers have their closure moving forward Moving forward for the rest of their series with the Phillies and throughout the playoffs (if they advance), Roberts officially announced that Sasaki will be the one who gets the ball in the ninth inning, stating he's "definitely the primary option," according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times. Roberts said that Sasaki "won't close every game," meaning others will fill in when he's down. "There’s a component that, we still have to win X amount more games," Roberts said to Harris. "And he’s not gonna close every game. It’s just not feasible. So you’ve got to use other guys. But if it makes sense, he’ll definitely be finishing games." Roki Sasaki has been good when given the opportunity Sasaki has done well in his opportunities this postseason when given the chance to close, tallying two saves in 2.1 innings. A four-seamer (50.2 percent of the time) that hits near 100 mph, paired with a splitter averaging 10-15 miles per hour slower (used 33.5 percent of the time) and that tumbles off the table, is a deadly weapon to have as a closer. Choosing Sasaki to be the closer against the Phillies is the right move, with only four Phillies players having one hit against him: Max Kepler (1-3), Kyle Schwarber (1-2 and a strikeout), Bryson Stott (1-3) and Trea Turner (1-3). Having decent numbers against them could help him if he's called upon to get the final three outs to clinch Game 3.
North Carolina reportedly considering nuclear option with Bill Belichick, and that's justified
Cowboys list 18 players on their injury report but a couple of names steal the spotlight as their return appears very likely
The Dallas Cowboys just revealed their first injury report of Week 6 on Wednesday and it's a long one. The team listed 18 players on it ahead of their matchup against the Carolina Panthers, five of which were non-participants while 10 were limited. The remaining three players on the report were listed as full participants. Two of latter stole the spotlight amid the bitter updates as their "full" participation means they're close to making their 2025 debut very soon: Cornerback Caelen Carson and wide receiver Jonathan Mingo. Neither of the them are currently on the 53-man roster but the Cowboys activated their 21-day practice window last week. Carson and Mingo were limited participants in each of last week's practices. To be upgraded to full on the first practice of the week is a promising sign for their chances of playing against the Panthers. The coaching staff would need to open up roster spots to place them on the 53-man roster. Other notes on Cowboys' initial injury report for Week 6 CeeDee Lamb was a non-participant once again as his chances of playing Week 6 remain up in the air. KaVontae Turpin also missed practice and told reporters he wasn't expecting to play. Right guard Tyler Booker also missed practice. The new additions to the non-participants were LB Jack Sanborn (concussion) and S Donovan Wilson (elbow/knee). Safety is starting to look like a serious concern. Malik Hooker was placed on Injured Reserve last weekend and now Wilson missed practice while Juanyeh Thomas popped up on the injury report as a limited participant. Other starters that were limited participants: CB Trevon Diggs, CB DaRon Bland, OT Tyler Guyton, LG Tyler Smith. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer suggested Guyton will start at left tackle if cleared. Thursday's full Cowboys' injury report window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*');
Packers could see breakout star emerge on defense in weeks ahead
The Green Bay Packers’ secondary got lit up by Dak Prescott in a 40-40 tie against the Dallas Cowboys before heading off to the bye week, but help could be on the way. Through the season’s first five weeks, the Packers rank 11th against the pass, but they allowed 319 passing yards and three touchdowns to Prescott in their final game before the bye week. Help, though, could be on the way. Could Nate Hobbs elevate Packers’ secondary? With a showdown against the likes of wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on Sunday afternoon, a breakout star could be about to emerge. Mike Spofford of the Packers’ official website suggests that cornerback Nate Hobbs getting healthier could be a major asset for coordinator Jeff Hafley and Green Bay’s defense moving forward. “Nate Hobbs,” Spofford writes, when asked the player he’s most looking forward to see the rest of the season. “He’s getting further removed from his knee procedure during training camp, and he’s also back on the practice field after leaving the Dallas game to be evaluated for a concussion. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Hobbs yet in this defense.” Hobbs has appeared in three games for the Packers this season, posting 10 total tackles, one pass breakup and one tackle for loss. Given that the 26-year-old had the added time during the bye week to get further away from the injury he suffered during the summer, he could be a player whose best football this season is still in front of him. That would be huge for a defense looking for consistent playmakers to step up.
LeBron James & Steve Nash Send Strong Message to Adam Silver Over Long-Standing Kawhi Leonard Issue
The NBA is facing a growing injury crisis, and many believe it’s tied to the demanding 82-game schedule. While some, like Steve Kerr, have long advocated for change, he even emailed Commissioner Adam Silver before last season, urging a reduction to 65 games! On the other hand, some do feel 82 is a sweet spot. The debate continues to divide the league, as concerns over player health and performance intensify. Now, LeBron James and Steve Nash have stepped in to share their perspectives. While discussing the sheer amount of superstars injured for the upcoming season on their ‘Mind The Game‘ podcast, Nash asked James about how much of it has to do with the number of games today’s players have to play each year. The Los Angeles Lakers forward gave a very balanced reply: “I mean, I don’t know, I can’t sit here and say that I have the direct answer to that. But we are at this point in the era that we’re playing in, it’s a lot more running.” While LeBron played it safe, Nash did not hold back. The former Suns star sent a strong message to the NBA, especially to commissioner Adam Silver. “When the acceling-deceling in space, there’s no getting around the wear and tear that causes. Like, we were talking about elite athletes covering elite athletes in bigger spaces, longer rotations, more closeouts, more possessions. Unfortunately, it just is a factor,” Nash pointed out. If you take an ideal scenario, a team can play around 110 games. 82 and then if you take 7 games (ideal situation) in each of the 4 rounds of the playoffs. “And then, so I hate load management. But it’s a part of the equation. We have to be smart. We don’t want guys to miss when LeBron James goes to Atlanta, we don’t want some kid to be sad ’cause he’s got to sit up. But sometimes that’s the reality. It’s that we have to be smart about it. So I don’t know, I feel like it’s an important part of the puzzle is managing the rigors of the game.” Well, Steve Nash does present a fair argument, because we have seen the Clippers star dealing with this issue. Although many fans criticize players like Kawhi Leonard and Joel Embiid for sitting out a significant number of games each season, it might be the result of the immense amount of stress their bodies have taken over time. After all, there’s a huge difference in playing 82 games back in the day compared to today. Then, players did not have to run 20-30 feet to cover a shooter, which might not seem much during one game, but takes a toll on an athlete’s muscles over the season. Teams will have to lean on load management because they do not have any other way of protecting their players. It’s not like the franchise and players like to disappoint the fans, the former Nets head coach revealed, but they don’t want to risk losing their stars for key games. Nonetheless, while LeBron James and Steve Nash have sent strong messages through their statements, what can be the solution? Is there a way to solve the NBA’s load management crisis? Well, in the past few years, load management has become a massive issue for the league, with fans frustrated with the situation. Although the NBA did come up with a way to combat the issue, as they issued a minimum threshold of 65 games for them to become eligible to be considered for the end-of-the-season honors, that doesn’t solve the root cause. You see, while this might prompt players to not sit out every game, the real problem, as Lakers superstar LeBron James and former NBA guard Steve Nash pointed out, is the wear and tear of muscles. The only, or rather an immediate solution, is to reduce the number of regular-season games unless there’s a solid alternative. That’s because any other solution than that will not help the players’ health, which should be a priority for the association. In fact, as mentioned, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has already raised this concern before. “I’m concerned about the product because I think we are asking way too much of our players,” Kerr said back in November last year. “The game has never been more difficult to play at a high level night after night after night. We should account for that. We all need to be thinking about that, for sure.” The Dubs boss pointed out that, given how difficult the game has become for players daily, teams have no choice but to sit out their players for certain games. As disappointing as it might be for the fans, it’s something the franchises have to do to avoid risking their players suffering a serious injury. Now, with more players and coaches joining Kerr, such as James and Nash, the league might finally be forced to look into this issue. However, reducing the number of games is easier said than done. So, will Adam Silver and Co. finally take some action to solve the NBA’s load management issue, or not? That’s something we can only wait and watch as the new season approaches.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
