Devin Williams is moving to the Yankees

Devin Williams is moving to the Yankees

The Yankees have agreed to a trade that should significantly upgrade their bullpen next season, acquiring two-time All-Star closer Devin Williams from the Brewers in exchange for left-hander Nestor Cortes, infielder Caleb Durbin and cash considerations, one said Source told MLB’s Mark Feinsand of .com on Friday.

The clubs have not officially announced the transaction.

The 30-year-old Williams is a two-time National League Reliever of the Year (2021, ’23) and also the 2020 NL Rookie of the Year.

Last season, Williams posted a razor-thin 1.25 ERA, made 14 saves and finished 19 games in 22 regular-season appearances for Milwaukee. His season was marred by two stress fractures in his back, which delayed Williams’ season debut until July 28.

Williams suffered a spectacular fall in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Mets when he blew a 2-0 lead by giving up four runs in the top of the ninth inning. The Brewers declined Williams’ $10.5 million option for the 25 season in November; After earning $7 million in 2024, he is entering his final season as an arbitration candidate.

With the acquisition of Williams, Luke Weaver will once again assume a leadership role in the Yankees’ bullpen, where closer Clay Holmes moved across town to the Mets, with Tim Hill and Tommy Kahnle also being free agents. The Yanks have re-signed Jonathan Loáisiga, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery and should be ready to move to New York at some point next season.

Like Williams, Cortes ended his tenure with his previous team by ending up on the wrong side of a memorable postseason rally. During Game 1 of the World Series against the Dodgers, Cortes was called in in relief and hit a walk-off grand slam on Freddie Freeman, the first in Fall Classic history.

Otherwise, Cortes — who has been dealing with a left elbow flexor strain that has kept him out of action since Sept. 18 before their World Series appearance — was a reliable workhorse for the Yanks in 2024, going 9-10. record and 3.77 ERA in a team-leading 174 1/3 innings.

A 2022 American League All-Star, Cortes has spent five of his seven big league seasons with the Yankees and also had brief stints as a pitcher for the Orioles and Mariners. In 135 major league games (86 starts), Cortes compiled a 33-21 record and a 3.80 ERA.

After earning $3.95 million entering his final season as an arbitration ineligible candidate last year, Cortes became expendable to the Yankees after they signed Max Fried, who signed Max Fried on Tuesday to an eight-year, $218 million contract agreed to what represents the largest deal ever being dealt to a left-handed pitcher.

The Yanks’ rotation now includes Gerrit Cole, Fried, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt and Marcus Stroman; Gil, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, was reportedly involved in trade talks with the Astros for All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker.

The 24-year-old Durbin has been named by the Yankees as a leading candidate for the second base position next season with Gleyber Torres expected to leave in free agency. The speedy Durbin earned a spot on New York’s 40-man roster with an impressive performance in the Arizona Fall League, where he set a record with 29 stolen bases in 24 games.

Durbin spent most of last season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he hit .287/.396/.471 with 23 doubles, 10 home runs and 60 RBIs. He increased his stock in the Arizona Fall League, where he batted .312/.427/.548 with five home runs in 24 games and 29 stolen bases, breaking the previous record of 24 set by Rick Holifield in 1994, when the AFL was on the schedule for almost twice as long.

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