The New York Yankees need to rebuild their bullpen this offseason and will be aggressive in the reliever market. They made a big splash last year, bringing in Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers, and had a rollercoaster season in the Bronx. Aaron Boone put him in a lot of different situations and eventually moved him out of the closer role. Williams was better in the seventh and eighth innings, looking more comfortable in the second half and the playoffs.
Yankees Interested In Reunion
Per Ken Rosenthal, the Yankees and the camp for free agent late-inning reliever Devin Williams recently discussed the potential for a possible reunion. It makes sense for the Yankees to reunite with Williams because he would be stellar in the middle of their bullpen. With Camilo Doval and David Bednar as the setup and closers, Williams wouldn’t be in many high-leverage situations, which is where he found the most success last season.
Rosenthal noted that, while it’s still unlikely that Williams returns to the Bronx, it’s interesting that the Yankees still show interest in him. Brian Cashman has added more guys with high strikeout rates, which is Devin Williams’ biggest strong suit. Having high-velocity guys in the backend of their bullpen allows them to bring someone like Williams back, whose best pitch is offspeed.
Devin Williams will have a huge market, especially if he wants to become a closer again. The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets have been the other top teams to show interest in him, with glaring needs in the back end of their bullpens.
Where Will Williams Go?
I expect Devin Williams to end up with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Though his introductory press conference with the Yankees noted initial thoughts of going to LA, the Yankees completed the trade. The Dodgers would likely make Williams their closer right away.
While he mentioned enjoying his time in New York, it seems unlikely he wants to return to a challenging market like the Bronx or Queens. Should he look beyond Los Angeles, the Toronto Blue Jays make sense—they’re expected to pursue bullpen help aggressively this offseason. In Toronto, Williams would likely set up for Jeff Hoffman and avoid the intense scrutiny he’d face in larger markets.
Raisel Iglesias re-signed with the Atlanta Braves for $16 million yesterday, which could affect Williams’ market value depending on contract length. With the Winter Meetings approaching, teams may move quickly on top relievers like Williams.
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