The New York Yankees have acquired reliever Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers, it was announced on Friday. Pitcher Nestor Cortes, infield prospect Caleb Durbin and some money are heading to Milwaukee.
The 30-year-old Williams recorded 14 saves in 22 appearances with the Brewers last season. He missed the first three months of the season due to a stress fracture in his back. After returning, Williams allowed just three earned runs over 21 2/3 innings in the regular season.
In the postseason, Williams played twice in Milwaukee’s series against the New York Mets. It was Williams who gave up Pete Alonso’s ninth-inning home run in Game 3, sparking the Mets’ series-clinching rally.
The Brewers declined Williams’ $10.5 million option for the 2025 season, and he will enter his final season of arbitration in 2025.
Williams, a two-time NL All-Star and the 2020 NL Rookie of the Year, spent all six of his MLB seasons with the Brewers and took over the closer’s role, picking up 68 saves in 235 2/3 innings while playing a recorded 1.83. ERA and 1.02 WHIP.
The addition of Williams, plus the return of Jonathan Loáisiga from Tommy John surgery, will strengthen the Yankees’ bullpen. The question remains whether manager Aaron Boone will use Williams or Luke Weaver as the team’s closer in 2025.
Clay Holmes, who was the Yankees’ closer until he lost the job to Weaver, signed with the New York Mets last week.
Cortes has established himself as a reliable starter since he started seeing an increased workload in 2021. He made 84 starts for the Yankees over the past four seasons (173 1/3 innings in 2024), but with the addition of Max Fried for the Yankees, it was clear that someone in the rotation had to be moved.