The Milwaukee Brewers are in the open, but spring training is quickly approaching. Devin Williams, the 2023 Reliever of the Year, may be the next player traded to the Baltimore Orioles after starting pitcher Corbin Burnes was?
On February 1, Adam McCalvey of MLB.com stated that the Brewers “wouldn’t shut any conversations down at this point in the offseason” about players they might consider dealing. In light of this, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report brainstormed possible destinations for Williams on February 2. One is a four-player trade that sends the right-handed pitcher to the New York Yankees. These are the specifics:
- Yankees receive: right-handed pitcher Devin Williams
- Brewers receive: right-handed pitcher Will Warren, third baseman Tyler Hardman and right-handed pitcher Justin Lange
All three of these Yankee prospects were within MLB.com’s top 30 after the 2023 season. Warren was the highest at eighth overall. Hardman finished the year as New York’s 15th-ranked prospect, while the 22-year-old Lange ranked 26th.
Williams Would Be a Massive Upgrade in Yankees’ Bullpen
For a bullpen pitcher, three top-30 prospects could seem like an expensive price. But Williams’ performance and existing contract status are two solid reasons why this high of an acquisition fee might be incurred.
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Williams made an impression by earning NL Rookie of the Year during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. With 53 strikeouts in 27 innings, he spun a 0.33 ERA. In addition, he received down-ballot votes for MVP (finishing in 18th place) and Cy Young (finishing seventh). He had saw his ERA climb to 2.50 through 54 innings in 2021, but he has since had two years in a row with an ERA below 2.00.
Williams is 14-7 with a 1.73 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 183 strikeouts in his last 119.1 innings pitched. Only two relievers with more than 80 innings pitched since 2022 have an ERA lower than Williams’. According to FanGraphs, the pitchers are Evan Phillips (1.59) and Ryan Helsley (1.69).
The financial commitment is mostly predetermined, but the Brewers’ shutdown reliever is still under team control for two more years before becoming a free agent. As per Spotrac, his base pay is expected to be $7 million in 2024. A $10.5 million club option is also available for 2025; the price could increase depending on performance.
The AL East Just Got a Little Tougher in 2024
The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty first reported on January 18 that Brian Cashman, the general manager of the Yankees, had switched his attention throughout the winter to the bullpen. Josh Hader, a closer, was briefly linked to New York prior to agreeing to a five-year contract with the Houston Astros. Additionally, it was reported that the Bombers would be open to reuniting with Kenyan Middleton or Wandy Peralta, both of whom pitched for the Bronx in 2023. However, each thrower recently signed with another team.
On January 31, Peralta agreed to a four-year deal with the San Diego Padres. On February 1, Middleton followed suit and accepted terms with the St. Louis Cardinals.
In the offseason, the Yankees have made some notable moves in the wake of their poor 2023 season (82-80). Trades were used to acquire outfielders Trent Grisham, Juan Soto, and Alex Verdugo. Marcus Stroman, the starting pitcher, was a free agent when he signed. Although they were already searching for a new bullpen arm, Burnes’ recent signing by the Orioles may increase the pressure on New York to act.
In an interview with MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch on February 3, Yankees manager Aaron Boone responded to Baltimore’s addition of players to its rotation in a direct manner. He answered, “That might be a little problematic.”
