Brewers activate closer Devin Williams after he missed 4 months with stress fractures in his back

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams is ready to make his 2024 debut after missing the first four months of the season with stress fractures in his back.

The Brewers announced before their Sunday afternoon game with the Miami Marlins that they had reinstated the two-time All-Star from the 60-day injured list. They also designated right-hander Janson Junk for assignment and sent right-hander JB Bukauskas to Triple-A Nashville on a rehabilitation assignment.

Williams, who turns 30 on Sept. 21, pitched four scoreless innings in a rehabilitation assignment with Nashville and Single-A Wisconsin. The right-hander struck out six, walked two and allowed only one hit.

The 2020 NL rookie of the year is coming off a 2023 season in which he went 8-3 with a 1.53 ERA and 36 saves to earn his second NL reliever of the year award. He struck out 87 batters in just 58 2/3 innings.

Williams has spent his entire career in Milwaukee and has gone 26-10 with 54 saves and a 1.89 ERA. He has 337 strikeouts in 214 innings.

His return should boost a Brewers bullpen that has carried a major workload this season and has lost Bryan Hudson and Rob Zastryzny to the injured list the last few days. The Brewers lead the NL Central but entered Sunday having received an MLB-low 493 1/3 innings from their starting pitchers.

The Brewers squandered a 3-2 lead when their bullpen allowed five runs in the seventh inning of a 7-3 loss to the Marlins on Saturday.

Milwaukee did add some depth to its relief corps Saturday by acquiring Nick Mears from the Colorado Rockies.

Junk, 28, had gone 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in five appearances for Milwaukee.