Devin Williams has thrown his last pitch for the Milwaukee Brewers. The All-Star closer is headed to New York, where he’ll don the famous pinstripes of the Yankees following a trade for left-handed starter Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin.
“Devin Williams played a major role in the team’s success over recent seasons and we are grateful to have had him perform for us at such a high level,” general manager Matt Arnold said. “We wish Devin all the best in his career going forward.”
Brewers Deal Another Closer in Devin Williams, Two Years After Hader Trade
Williams, 30, was Milwaukee’s second-round pick in the 2013 MLB Draft. After getting his first taste of big-league action late in 2019, burst onto the scene during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season when posted a 0.33 ERA with 53 strikeouts over 27 innings of work en route to becoming the first pitcher to win NL Rookie of the Year honors since Craig Kimbrel in 2017.
Serving primarily in a setup role ahead of Josh Hader, Williams moved into the closer’s spot after Milwaukee dealt Hader to San Diego at the deadline in 2022.
Williams notched 36 saves in 2023 to earn his second NL Reliever of the Year award. But his 2024 campaign saw delays after undergoing surgery for stress fractures in his back during spring training.
He wouldn’t return to action until July 28 but quickly returned to dominant form only for his season — and Brewers career — to end on a sour note when the New York Mets tagged him for four runs in the ninth inning of Game 3 in the NL Wild Card Series.
That wasn’t a factor in the decision to trade Williams, though. He had one year of arbitration remaining before becoming a free agent and the Brewers learned their lesson after the now-infamous Hader trade.
Since his debut in 2019, here are Devin Williams’ ranks among relievers with at least 200 innings pitched:
ERA: 2nd (1.83)
K/9: 4th (14.3)
HR/9: 6th (0.6)
H/9: 1st (4.9)He is one of the truly elite relievers in baseball. And now he’s at the back end of the Yankees’ bullpen.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 13, 2024
Closer Factory
Beyond that, Arnold also had a plethora of options to take Williams’s place, starting with flame-throwing right-hander Trevor Megill, who earned 21 saves while posting a 2.72 ERA while filling in for Williams during his recovery.
“We were dealing from a position of strength,” Arnold said. “We’ve had a really long track record of strong bullpens, and we hope to continue to do that. Obviously, losing Devin is tough for all of us, certainly but that being said, we’re also gaining established, a major-league read starter, and a prospect we like a lot that fits us, hopefully in 2025 as well.
“So again, we like the balance of this trade to help the Brewers.”
Milwaukee’s Return
Nestor Cortes
Cortes gives the Brewers a solid option at the top of their starting rotation. In 2024, the left-hander went 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA and a 1.153 WHIP in 31 appearances (30 starts) while striking out 162 in 174 1/3 innings.
Like Williams, Cortes’ season also ended on a bit of a sour note after allowing a walk-off grand slam to Freddie Freeman in Game 1 of the World Series.
Cortes had been trying to pitch through an elbow injury by that point but Arnold said he’ll be ready to go when spring training opens in February.
“He feels really good,” Arnold said. “He’s had a fully healthy offseason and we expect him to come into camp ready to go.”
Caleb Durbin
While Cortes brings experience, Durbin brings more youth and depth — and a style of play that already has manager Pat Murphy excited.
He primarily plays second and third, with some time at shortstop and the outfield as well. His primary weapon is speed, with 110 stolen bases in 128 attempts, and he showed off his offensive skills in the Arizona Fall League this year, batting .312 with five homers, 21 RBI, and a .976 OPS to go along with 29 stolen bases.
That performance landed him the AFL’s Breakout Player of the Year Award.
“(Murphy) was pumped, because he got to see a lot of him in the Fall League,” Arnold said. “He’s been watching him out there, and said he loved the way this guy plays. Adding somebody like Caleb to that mix is something that he’s excited about, and we’re all excited about.”
The players involved in the Williams trade won’t have to wait long to encounter their former teams. The Brewers open the 2025 season at Yankee Stadium on March 27.
Photo Credit: © Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
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