Welcome to the second edition of Stats ‘N’ At, a weekly feature that takes a deep dive into the numbers that define the Pittsburgh sports scene.
Trevor Williams shambled off the mound at PNC Park on July 6, having just been shelled by the Phillies for five runs in 2 1/3 innings. His ERA was a season-worst 4.60, and some fans were calling for the former Marlins prospect — essentially traded to Pittsburgh in the fall of 2015 for a pitching coach — to be removed from the rotation.
Nine starts later, Williams is firmly entrenched in the Pirates’ plans and ranks in the top 20 among qualified MLB starters in ERA (3.15). In those nine starts, spanning 54.2 innings, he has surrendered just 41 hits while posting a 0.66 ERA. He’s earning rave reviews from the Old School ... but there might also be a case for skepticism.
What’s working so well for Williams?
And can he remain a high-quality starter?
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