Yankees trade away Nestor Cortes, prospect for late-inning ace

The New York Yankees have increased their pitching staff, first with a frontline starter (Max Fried) and now with a lockdown reliever, as they pivot after losing standout outfielder Juan Soto to the New York Mets.

Infield prospect Caleb Durbin, the Arizona Fall League star who was thought to be the favorite to start at second base with Gleyber Torres a free agent and probably leaving, and pitcher Nestor Cortes were the two-time All-Star Devin Williams that the Yankees reportedly acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday.

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According to The Athletic, the Yankees will also give the Brewers money to settle Cortes’ compensation.According to MLB Trade Rumors, Williams and Cortes will be awarded $7.7 million in arbitration this offseason.

Williams is one of the top late-inning relievers in the game. He has a 1.89 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 39.2% strikeout rate (309 Ks), 12.4% walk rate (97 walks), 68 saves, and 49 holds in 195 innings since 2021. The Brewers wanted to get some sort of longer-term value back in Durbin’s final year of arbitration before he became a free agent, and they succeeded in doing so with Durbin, who is poised to make the majors. In 2026, Cortes will be a free agent.

Luke Weaver, who showed promise as a late-inning stopper last season but carries some risk, will now join Williams in a potent 1-2 closing punch: Due to stress fractures in his back, Williams missed four months of the previous season. He displayed his typical domination in 21 2/3 innings following his comeback, giving up three earned runs on 10 hits and 11 walks. He made 14 saves.

From Jeff Passan of ESPN:

Devin Williams’ rankings among relievers with at least 200 innings worked since his 2019 debut are as follows:ERA: 2nd (1.83)K/9: Fourth (14.3)HR/9: sixth (0.6)H/9: First (4.9)

Whether or not the Brewers deploy Cortes as a starter, he will provide them with bulk innings. He threw to a 3.77 ERA and 1.15 WHIP across 174 1/3 innings last season, striking out 22.8% of batters (162 Ks) compared to a 5.5% walk rate (39).

During its 2024 midseason update, Baseball America placed Durbin 25th, meaning he was not listed among the Yankees’ top 10 prospects for 2025. Durbin played in 24 Arizona Fall League games (117 plate appearances), hitting.312/.427/.548 with five home runs, 21 RBIs, and 29 steals. He was projected by fangraphs to play over half of the time at second base for the Yankees, which raises more concerns about their future there and/or at third base if they move Jazz Chisholm from third to second.

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