The Milwaukee Brewers now not have Josh Hader, they usually now not have Devin Williams. Will Trevor Megill be capable to step into the function of an elite nearer this season?
Final yr, Megill stuffed in with some glorious performances throughout Williams’ time on the injured record. He racked up 21 saves for the Brewers and a career-best 2.72 ERA. Now that the Brewers should depend on him as their go-to nearer this season, will he be capable to lockdown the backend of the bullpen?
Megill posted a 9.71 Okay/9 fee final season. That’s not a very spectacular quantity in at the moment’s league, rating 76th out of 203 relievers with no less than 40 innings pitched final yr. However Megill had standout chase charges and whiff charges, giving him a wonderful flooring as a high-end nearer. He has sufficient strikeout potential to dominate, even when it’s not going to be at a shocking stage.
His two-pitch arsenal is nearly as good because it will get. Whereas that doesn’t present selection, his four-seamer (127 Stuff+) and knuckle curve (167 Stuff+) are each of the caliber vital for a shutdown nearer. His fastball particularly is a weapon at a median of 98.8 mph.
One attention-grabbing space of concern might be the standard of batted balls that Megill surrenders. He gave up a excessive hard-hit fee and batters frequently lifted the ball into the air. That partially negates the impact of the Brewers’ Gold Glove protection.
On the flip aspect, Megill allowed a batting common of .196 in 2024, the perfect mark of his profession. He additionally walked the fewest batters of his profession. However this potential to restrict baserunners might need been disproportionately improved by a stark change in his BABIP luck. After permitting a BABIP of .393 in his first three seasons, he allowed a .254 mark final season. It will likely be vital for Megill to point out this can be a everlasting enchancment in his recreation, relatively than a one season anomaly.
The most certainly possibility looks like Megill has become a top-tier nearer, somebody able to being the rock on the backend of the bullpen. The bullpen has been a energy for the Brewers, and it should be so once more this season for them to make a run at one other division crown. Megill’s spectacular 2024 might be a portent of one more nearer to step in for the Brewers and make a major contribution to the staff’s success.
All stats courtesy of FanGraphs except in any other case famous.
