Though he’s coming off an injury-shortened 2024 season, there may be little doubt that Devin Williams stays an elite nearer. Upon his mid-season return from a again harm, Williams appeared each bit as dominant as he did in his All-Star 2022 and ‘23 campaigns. Over 21 1/3 innings, the righty pitched to a 1.25 ERA and a couple of.31 SIERA, placing out 38 of the 88 batters he confronted. As he enters his age-30 season, his profession 1.83 ERA, 39.4% strikeout fee, and 68 saves in 78 probabilities inform you the whole lot you could find out about why he may very well be such a worthwhile commerce chip for the Brewers this offseason.
In October, Brewers normal supervisor Matt Arnold advised reporters that he needed to be “open-minded” about probably buying and selling Williams. He made related feedback in November, saying, “Definitely now we have to be open to these varieties of issues, however I feel he makes our workforce higher” (per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com). These phrases counsel Arnold isn’t actively purchasing his nearer, however his reluctance to close down the thought speaks volumes. In spite of everything, Milwaukee has earned a fame for buying and selling star pitchers a minimum of one yr earlier than they attain free company. Again when Arnold labored below former president of baseball operations David Stearns, they dealt Josh Hader to the Padres on the 2022 commerce deadline. Extra not too long ago, Arnold oversaw the swap that despatched Corbin Burnes to the Orioles. Because of a wonderful pitching improvement pipeline, the workforce has managed to remain aggressive regardless of these trades. Thus, it might hardly be shocking if Williams is carrying a unique uniform come Opening Day 2025.
When MLBTR’s Steve Adams ranked the High 35 Commerce Candidates of the offseason, he put Williams at no. 4, behind solely White Sox ace Garrett Crochet, Cardinals nearer Ryan Helsley, and Cardinals starter Erick Fedde. The truth that Williams ranked behind Helseley was partially as a result of the latter appeared extra more likely to be dealt. Nonetheless, current reviews counsel the Cardinals are unlikely to commerce Helsley this winter in any case. That ought to solely invigorate the marketplace for a pitcher like Williams. If Helsley is staying put, Williams is undeniably the highest reliever on the commerce market.
What’s extra, former Yankees nearer Clay Holmes is off the free agent market after signing with the Mets to develop into a beginning pitcher. Holmes was MLBTR’s third-highest-ranked free agent reliever this offseason. In the meantime, MLBTR’s second-highest-ranked free agent reliever, Jeff Hoffman, has additionally drawn curiosity as a possible starter. In different phrases, the marketplace for top-end, right-handed relievers is already beginning to skinny out.
Thus, if the Brewers commerce Williams, they need to be capable of land a powerful return commensurate together with his worth. On the similar time, he gained’t convey again fairly as a lot younger expertise as Burnes (a former Cy Younger winner) or Hader (who had an additional half-season of workforce management), so nearly each celebration ought to have the mandatory commerce chips to make a compelling supply. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal suggests a return for Williams would “ideally” embody a younger starter, although if the Brewers are actually preserving an open thoughts, they may be open to numerous return packages.
Let’s take a better have a look at which groups might commerce for Williams this winter:
Clear Matches
Blue Jays: From 2021-23, the Blue Jays had one of many higher closers in baseball: homegrown Canadian righty Jordan Romano. Nonetheless, issues rapidly tumbled downhill for Romano in 2024, and the remainder of Toronto’s reduction corps adopted swimsuit. No AL bullpen had a worse ERA, a better dwelling run fee, or a decrease strikeout fee. The Jays are considered in re-signing Romano, however that shouldn’t preclude them from in search of a extra dependable nearer. Certainly, they had been reportedly contemplating signing Holmes (as a reliever) earlier than he finally landed with the Mets. Including Williams would go a great distance to assist revamp one of many worst bullpens within the league.
Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks have a powerful group of arms on the again finish of their bullpen, however none with vital closing expertise. Justin Martinez, A.J. Puk, Kevin Ginkel, Joe Mantiply, and Ryan Thompson are all coming off robust seasons. Nonetheless, GM Mike Hazen stated earlier this offseason that he’d desire to have one other back-end arm to assist them out, suggesting his workforce was at its greatest when capital-C nearer Paul Sewald was the ninth inning man. Hazen may very well be coping with some monetary constraints this winter as he tries to exchange Sewald, Christian Walker, Joc Pederson, Randal Grichuk, and extra with out considerably rising payroll. So, including Williams, whose projected $7.7MM wage is nicely under open market worth, may very well be a very interesting transfer.
Phillies: The Phillies bullpen misplaced two high-leverage right-handers to free company this offseason: Hoffman and Carlos Estévez. POBO Dave Dombrowski has made it clear he’s wanting so as to add a minimum of one righty arm to the again finish of the bullpen to exchange the expertise he misplaced. That would imply bringing again Hoffman (the Phillies have reportedly proven curiosity in such a reunion) or focusing on one other free agent like Kirby Yates, Kenley Jansen, or Blake Treinen. In spite of everything, this workforce has largely most popular to flex its monetary muscle relatively than half with prospects to amass star expertise. Nonetheless, Dombrowski has repeatedly steered he’ll look to get extra inventive this winter. Might the Phillies and Brewers line up on a swap involving Williams and fellow commerce candidate Alec Bohm?
Rangers: The Rangers arm barn is in a tough spot proper now. After ending among the many AL’s backside 5 bullpens in most statistical classes in 2024, Texas misplaced Kirby Yates, David Robertson, José Leclerc, and José Ureña to free company. POBO Chris Younger ought to have some cash to spend this winter, however as he goals to drop beneath the posh tax threshold, he gained’t be capable of throw out quite a few big-money contracts as he’s executed up to now. That would make an arbitration-eligible arm like Williams fairly interesting.
Royals: Lucas Erceg stepped up for the Royals after the commerce deadline, placing up a 2.88 ERA over 25 innings and blossoming into the nearer his new workforce desperately wanted. But, Erceg’s success doesn’t imply the Royals can’t search for an improve behind the bullpen. As dominant as he appeared down the stretch in 2024, he’s hardly essentially the most skilled or dependable arm. He’ll enter his age-30 season with simply 116 2/3 MLB innings below his belt and a profession 4.01 ERA and three.52 SIERA. Because the Royals look to compete for the AL Central title in 2025, a bona fide nearer like Williams would make for a terrific addition to the squad.
Tigers: The Tigers have a number of choices to shut in 2025, most notably Tyler Holton, who has quietly been among the best relievers within the sport over the previous two seasons. Nonetheless, nobody has a lock on the nearer position in Detroit, and the right-handed Williams would make a wonderful complement to the southpaw Holton. Now that the Tigers are formally contenders, a confirmed nearer like Williams is the type of luxurious they’ll afford as they attempt to go on a deeper postseason run in 2025.
Yankees: Luke Weaver actually earned the correct to fit into the nearer position for the Yankees on the finish of the 2024 season and into the playoffs. On the similar time, he doesn’t have a ton of late-inning reduction expertise, and New York may desire to make use of him in a variable, multi-inning position. The Yankees made an enormous splash on the commerce market once they acquired Juan Soto final offseason, and so they might achieve this once more by scooping up Williams. After dropping within the World Collection, the Bronx Bombers are absolutely going to be hungry for expertise — particularly if they’ll’t re-sign Soto.
Extra Potential Matches
Dodgers: Today, it looks as if you simply can’t rule the Dodgers out on anybody. Evan Phillips and Michael Kopech each have what it takes to shut for the reigning World Collection champions, however neither is with out his query marks. Phillips missed the World Collection with a shoulder harm, whereas Kopech’s success in L.A. got here in a reasonably small pattern dimension. With so few holes to fill on their roster, might the Dodgers look so as to add a famous person nearer to make their tremendous workforce much more tremendous?
Giants: Following his breakout efficiency in 2024, Ryan Walker has the within monitor on the Giants’ nearer job in 2025. That stated, he’s hardly a lock for the gig. New POBO Buster Posey is trying to construct a reliable postseason contender this offseason, and a better like Williams would give the Giants extra safety on the finish of ballgames.
Padres: After buying and selling for Tanner Scott and Jason Adam eventually summer season’s commerce deadline, the Padres caught with Robert Suarez within the nearer position. That’s a reasonably clear indication of how a lot this workforce values Suarez, who pitched to a 2.77 ERA and three.53 SIERA whereas recording 36 saves in 42 probabilities in 2024. That makes a commerce for Williams, who would nearly absolutely usurp Suarez because the nearer, appear unlikely. Then once more, Padres POBO A. J. Preller loves to drag off blockbuster swaps, and he’ll be in search of some strategy to change Scott’s glorious manufacturing out of the bullpen.
Division Rivals
The Cubs, Pirates, and Reds might all use a dependable nearer. Porter Hodge was terrific for Chicago in his rookie season, however a workforce with reliable postseason aspirations wants a extra confirmed arm to anchor the bullpen. In the meantime, Cincinnati (Alexis Díaz) and Pittsburgh (David Bednar) each have extra skilled closers, however neither pitcher had a powerful 2024 marketing campaign. There isn’t any doubt that Williams would make all three of those groups considerably extra aggressive in 2025.
Nonetheless, it’s extraordinarily tough to think about the Brewers sending Williams to a division rival. In spite of everything, it’s not as in the event that they’d be buying and selling him as a part of a rebuilding effort. The Brewers are the reigning NL Central champions, and so they’re trying to retain that crown in 2025. That shall be arduous sufficient with Williams pitching anyplace else, not to mention for one in every of their closest opponents.
Longer Photographs
Williams is such a particular expertise that there aren’t many groups one can utterly rule out of the commerce sweepstakes. The Crimson Sox are doubtless out of the working after signing Aroldis Chapman, particularly since in addition they have Liam Hendriks behind their bullpen. Equally, the Orioles (Félix Bautista), Mets (Edwin Díaz), Astros (Hader), Braves (Raisel Iglesias), and Mariners (Andrés Muñoz) have already got glorious pitchers entrenched within the nearer position. Nonetheless, it’s not as if any of those contenders wouldn’t be capable of make room for Williams. Determining tips on how to break up time between two star closers is the type of drawback any supervisor would like to have, and including Williams would instantly flip any of those bullpens into among the best within the league.
