The baseball winter meetings may be over, but the countless player changes are not yet.

The New York Yankees capped a busy week by trading star closer Devin Williams to the New York Yankees on Friday, while the Chicago Cubs acquired struggling outfielder Kyle Tucker, a three-time All-Star, from the Houston Astros.

Both Williams and Tucker, who are eligible to become free agents after the 2025 season, were involved in significant trade speculation during the winter meetings in Dallas at the Hilton Anatole Hotel.

Williams replaces former Yankees closer Clay Holmes, who signed with the Mets as a free agent but is leaving the club with left-handed starter Nestor Cortes, blue-chip second base prospect Caleb Durbin and $2 million in cash to fund the new Cortes’ annual salary of $8.3 million, thereby avoiding an arbitration hearing.

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The deal fills a big hole in the Yankees’ bullpen, who re-signed reliever Jonathan Loáisiga earlier this week.

The club also brought star left-handed starter Max Fried to the Bronx on an eight-year, $218 million contract – the largest and longest contract ever given to a left-handed pitcher.

Williams, 30, had spent his entire career with the Brewers. The 2019 National League Rookie of the Year brings a career earned average of 1.83 to New York.

A right-hander whose best performance is a devastating changeup, Williams missed four months of last season while recovering from a stress fracture in his back. Although he pitched well in his return, he also gave up Pete Alonso’s three-run, ninth-inning home run that capped the Division Series for the Mets against the Brewers.

That didn’t deter the Yankees, however, as they were one of several teams looking to secure the title of two-time All-Star.

Since 2019, only Josh Hader and Edwin Diaz have posted strikeout rates better than the 39.4 percent recorded by Williams. And only one pitcher who went 200 innings during that time posted a better earned run average (Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase at 1.67).

Like New York, Milwaukee hopes to retain the division championship in 2024.

What brewers are planning

The Brewers are expected to add left-hander Cortes to their rotation and play Durbin at second, with holdover Joey Ortiz or Brian Turang briefly replacing outgoing free agent Willy Adames (signed with San Francisco).

Turang was primarily a second baseman last season as the Brewers finished 10 games ahead of the Cubs and Cardinals for second place in the National League’s Central Division.

Cortes, 30, joins a solid Milwaukee rotation that also includes Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff, Aaron Civale and young Tobias Myers, with Aaron Ashby and DL Hall in the starting lineup.

Tucker’s influence

By acquiring Tucker, the Cubs hope to gain ground on the Brewers. The right fielder missed half of the 2024 season due to a broken tibia, but still hit 23 home runs after hitting 89 in the three years from 2021-23.

Tucker, a 28-year-old left-handed hitter, also added speed and defense to his game.

Tucker has been an All-Star each of the past three seasons and led the American League with 112 runs batted in during the 2023 season. This year he missed a home run in a 30/30 performance.

To get Tucker, the Cubs sent infielder Isaac Paredes, right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski and infield prospect Cam Smith to Houston.

Paredes, who has hit 78 home runs over the last three years, could succeed current free agent Alex Bregman at third base if the Astros cannot re-sign him.

Paredes has two more years of control of the club before he can explore free agency.

The 2024 Astros failed to extend their record streak of seven consecutive American League Championship Series appearances, but reached the playoffs, where they were defeated by the surging Detroit Tigers in the best-of-three Wild Card Series.

According to Roster Resource, Houston ranks eighth among the 30 clubs with a projected 2025 payroll of $206 million. However, this number could increase if arbitration cases are resolved.

Paredes is one of eight Astros eligible for arbitration.

View payroll and payroll

Houston general manager Dana Brown has indicated for months that the team will keep a close eye on player salaries this winter.

Jose Altuve’s six-year, $157.5 million extension signed in 2018 is the largest and longest in team history, but Bregman reportedly turned down a deal in the same financial territory.

Trading Tucker took an estimated $15.8 million off the books for 2025 and other arbitration-eligible players, including star pitcher Framber Valdez, have also been mentioned in trade discussions.

Like Tucker, Valdez will be eligible for free agency next fall. Houston closer Ryan Pressly, who is due $14 million in 2025, also could be moved before spring training begins in February.

As for the transplanted Tucker, attending home games at Wrigley Field, a notorious band boxer, should help increase his value. It could also hasten the departure of fellow left-hander Cody Bellinger from Chicago, a former National League MVP who can play both first base and the outfield.

His name was reportedly brought up during the Winter Meetings trade negotiations – especially since the Yankees were one of the most interesting potential partners after losing free agent Juan Soto, another left-handed slugger, to the crosstown Mets.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported on the Williams transfer, while The Athletic’s Will Sammon reported that the deal was completed. FanSided’s Robert Murray revealed that Cortes was involved in the deal, but USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported Durbin’s inclusion and a cash stipend.