The Milwaukee Brewers activated right-handed closer Devin Williams from the 60-day injured list prior to Sunday’s game against the Miami Marlins.
The two-time All-Star has missed the entire season due to stress fractures in his back.
Williams was the 2020 National League Rookie of the Year and also won the Trevor Hoffman Award as the top NL reliever in both 2020 and 2023.
“It’s gratifying, I guess you would say,” Williams said of his return before Sunday’s game. “I put in a lot of hard work up to this point over the past couple of months. To be in this position and back on the field, it feels great.”
Williams went 8-3 with a 1.53 ERA and 36 saves in 61 appearances last season. He struck out 87 in just 58 2/3 innings.
Williams, 29, knew he was ready to return after he made four scoreless minor league rehab appearances and allowed just one hit.
“To be honest, I was more focused on how I felt than results, but both were really good,” Williams said. “I felt good. My stuff was moving the way it’s supposed to. I was executing pitches. So it was all good.”
Williams is 26-10 with a 1.89 ERA and 54 saves since reaching the majors with the Brewers in 2019.
The Brewers also fortified their bullpen over the weekend by obtaining right-hander Nick Mears from the Colorado Rockies for minor league right-handers Bradley Blalock and Yujanyer Herrera.
Mears, 27, is 1-4 with 5.56 ERA in 41 relief appearances this season. Overall, he’s 2-5 with a 4.93 ERA in 93 appearances over five seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates (2020-22) and Rockies.
Blalock, 23, made one appearance for the Brewers this season and tossed a scoreless inning. He was 5-2 with a 4.08 ERA in 16 starts at Double-A Biloxi.
Herrera, 20, is 9-1 with a 2.91 ERA in 16 appearances (nine starts) for two Class-A spots.
Milwaukee also designated right-hander Janson Junk for assignment and optioned left-hander Tyler Jay to Triple-A Nashville.
Junk, 28, had a 6.75 ERA in five appearances for Milwaukee.
Jay, 30, recently acquired from the New York Mets, pitched a scoreless inning in his lone appearance for the Brewers.