Brewers Williams breaks hand in division clinching celebration
Milwaukee Brewers set up pitcher Devin Williams will likely miss the postseason after punching a wall in celebrations of the Brewers clinching the division.
There’s celebrating, and then there’s over celebrating. For some that might be have one too many and suffering the hangover in the morning, but for Milwaukee Brewers pitcher his one or two too many could lead to him missing the post season.
Celebration got out of hand
The set up reliever was in party mode after the Brewers win that clinched them the National League Central on Sunday. After the game Williams went out for a few drinks to celebrate the win, and ended up punching a wall and breaking his pitching hand.
Milwaukee president of baseball operations David Sterns said that Williams will most likely be on the DL for the remainder of the season after he has surgery to repair the fracture in his right hand.
The team went out to celebrate winning the division, and Williams told reporters "I went out to have a few drinks and [at] my home I was a little frustrated, upset, and I punched a wall. That's how it happened."
Williams didn't tell team doctors until Tuesday
The second year pitcher had just returned to the lineup after a recovering from a calf injury. He returned to the mound Sunday in the Brewers 8-4 win over the Mets before breaking his hand later that night.
"I'm pretty upset with myself. There's no one to blame but me," Williams added. "I feel like I've let the team down, the coaching staff, the fans, everyone. I know how big a role that I play on this team and there's a lot of people counting on me."
Williams didn’t tell the Brewers medical staff until after he dressed for Tuesday’s game against the Cardinals. After realizing he was unable to throw he alerted team doctors who took him in for X-rays.
Big hit to Brewers pitching rotation
"He came in, told our medical staff. We got him X-rayed during the game yesterday, got the results during the game yesterday, consulted with our doctors today and we understand that surgery is going to be required," Stearns said.
Williams is part of what many around the league consider the best reliever/closer combination in the league. He and closer Josh Hader have made the Brewers almost unbeatable when carrying a lead late in the game.
Milwaukee is 70-4 the leading after seven innings.