Speaking to media about Juan Soto’s free agency move to the Mets, Dallas’ Brian Cashman broke down the Yankees’ roster on Monday. The general manager admitted that his bullpen is not yet complete.
Cashman made reference to the addition of reinforcements this offseason when he stated, “Clearly, we have some vacancies there.”
The Yankees definitely have high-leverage relievers on their buying list. The Yankees may lose Tim Hill, Tommy Kahnle, and Jonathan Lo on the open market, while Clay Holmes has already chosen a new team in free agency. He is also going to the Mets.
In that regard, the only position in their bullpen’s back end that may currently be marked on the depth chart is a closer. At the close of the previous season, Luke Weaver pitched well enough in that role to continue saving games in the spring.
However, the Yankees cannot afford to be complacent. Even if it’s already a strength, they are eager to improve every aspect of their roster after losing Soto.
The Yankees’ interest in acquiring Brewers closer Devin Williams, a top-tier right-handed reliever who may be traded this winter, is sufficiently justified by that.
TO BUY YANKEES TICKETS, GO TO VIVIDSEATS, TICKETMATER, AND STUBHUB.
The Yankees are among at least ten clubs contacting the Brewers on their closers’ availability, according to a story published Monday night by The Athletic. Other teams that showed interest were the Dodgers, Royals, Tigers, and Angels.
The 30-year-old Williams is about to spend his last season under team control before becoming a free agent. According to MLB Trade Rumors, his estimated 2025 salary is $7.7 million. Williams is still regarded as one of the top relievers in the game, even if his 2024 season was cut short by a back injury that limited him to just 22 games. With a 1.83 ERA across portions of six MLB seasons, he is the National League’s finest reliever and a two-time All-Star. He also won the Trevor Hoffman Award twice.
It is not inevitable that Williams will be traded by the Brewers. Given that Williams will be available in free agency next winter, they could at least wait until the trade deadline the following summer to determine if they are losing ground in the National League Central playoff scenario. However, dealing the righty this offseason is their best option if they want to collect the most money for him. With ace Corbin Burnes, the Brewers did just that last season, obtaining a couple good players back from the Orioles in return for a full season of the top starting.
Milwaukee has limited payroll flexibility, as noted by Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon in their piece for The Athletic. Given that Williams is unlikely to re-sign after the upcoming season, trading him away would allow them to address other needy spots in the transaction while also saving them money.
After Soto declined their offer and joined the Mets, the Yankees had extra cash to spend on pitching on the open market. Free agency offers late-inning relievers like Tanner Scott and Jeff Hoffman. On the other hand, considerable capital would be needed to acquire Williams. This would let them to concentrate on funding other requirements, such as a starting pitcher, outfielder, first baseman, and third baseman.
The Yankees would be able to return Weaver to a multi-inning relief job if they were to acquire a pitcher of Williams’ level. Although Weaver could still end games, manager Aaron Boone could use him aggressively since he knows he can roll with the right-hander for several frames—possibly even more than a whole rotation through the lineup.
The Yankees’ willingness to make a sufficient offer to acquire the closer will determine whether Milwaukee is actually prepared to let go of Williams this winter. Do you recall the sacrifices made by the Padres to acquire Scott during the previous summer’s trade deadline? His services lasted only a few months. This would cover the entire season. The Brewers will demand an alluring package from the Yankees because there is a greater demand than ever for top relievers. What, like the Soto trade with San Diego last winter, would they be willing to give up for a single season that is assured?
The Yankees’ capacity to bring out the best in a variety of relievers is another warning sign. They have a talent for uncovering hidden treasures and transforming the leftovers of another team into affordable pinstripe success tales. In light of this, they could be able to acquire a pitcher like Williams without having to burn through elite prospects. They may just use Weaver as their closer and concentrate on identifying their next reclamation project while, for example, bringing Hill back in free agency. Some of the returnees in the bullpen with big-league experience include Ian Hamilton, Jake Cousins, Scott Effross, and Mark Leiter Jr.
However, there is a potential to acquire a late-inning reliever like Williams. A trade might be their best option to make this kind of bullpen makeover, depending on how the upcoming days and weeks unfold. However, the Yankees would be giving up a number of prospects if they also decide to invest in a deal for a bat this winter, such as Cody Bellinger, who would play center field, or a first baseman, such as Josh Naylor or Yandy Diaz.
You may contact Max Goodman at [email protected].
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
+ There are no comments
Add yours