The New York Yankees vowed they’d be aggressive after losing a bidding war for Juan Soto, struck again Friday by acquiring two-time All-Star closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Brewers will receive veteran starter Nestor Cortés, infield prospect Caleb Durbin and $2 million cash in the deal.
An interesting aspect of the deal is that both pitchers surrendered gut-wrenching late-inning homers in the 2024 postseason. Williams gave up a three-run, ninth-inning homer to Mets first baseman Pete Alonso in Game 3 of the NL wild-card series, costing the Brewers a chance to advance to the NLDS. Cortés gave up a walk-off grand slam to Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman in Game 1 of the World Series.
The Brewers had planned to keep Williams, who’s eligible for free agency, at least until the trade deadline but found the deal was too good to resist.
The Yankees, who lost part-time closer Clay Holmes in free agency, had been in talks with free-agent closer Tanner Scott, but pivoted to Williams. Williams, who missed the first half of the 2024 season with stress fractures in his back, saved 65 games with 221 strikeouts in 141 innings over the past three seasons. The 2020 NL Rookie of the Year, Williams has a 1.83 ERA in 241 career games, averaging 14.3 strikeouts per nine.
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Cortés, who’s also a free agent after the 2025 season, was 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA for the Yankees last season, pitching 174 ⅓ innings. He immediately becomes one of the Brewers’ front-line starters.
Durbin, 24, was selected as the Arizona Fall League’s Breakout Prospect of the Year, hitting .312 and stealing 29 baes and was recently added to the Yankees’ 40-man roster. He was considered a strong candidate to make the team on opening day.
“I think he’s a stud, frankly,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters last month. “Great bat-to-ball [skill], elite ability on the bases as a base stealer, a good defender in the middle of the diamond at second base. He’s really started over the last year-plus to create some position flexibility, too. …
“Really competitive, kind of that hard-nosed, tough player.’
The Yankees, in the wake of losing Soto to the Mets, have now signed left-handed starter Max Fried to an 8-year, $218 million contract, acquired Williams, and are in trade talks with the Houston Astros for outfielder Kyle Tucker while also negotiating with free agent first baseman Christian Walker.
They plan to fill in holes throughout the roster, they said, with the money they didn’t spend on Soto in hopes to return to the World Series.
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This story has been updated to include new information.