The New York Yankees made a major move by acquiring star closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers in a blockbuster trade. Williams, who was previously linked to the Los Angeles Dodgers, admitted he was surprised by the trade’s outcome during a Tuesday Zoom call with reporters, as noted by Jorge Castillo of ESPN.
“Devin Williams, in a Zoom call with media, said he was surprised he was traded to the Yankees because he thought he was going to Los Angeles,” Castillo shared on X (formerly Twitter).
Despite the unexpected destination, Williams expressed his excitement about joining the Yankees.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be able to play for this organization,” Williams said via Yankees Videos. “There’s no bigger team in baseball… I’m very happy to be here.”
Williams has been one of MLB’s most dominant relievers since his debut in 2019. Initially serving as Milwaukee’s setup man behind Josh Hader, Williams assumed the closer role after Hader was traded to the San Diego Padres in 2022. He thrived in the position, never posting an ERA above 2.00 since 2021.
In 2023, Williams recorded 36 saves and a stellar 1.53 ERA. Though limited to just 22 appearances in 2024, he still shined, recording a 1.25 ERA and 14 saves.
The Yankees’ offseason has seen its share of ups and downs. They lost Juan Soto to their NL rivals, the New York Mets, in free agency but bolstered their rotation by signing former Braves ace Max Fried. Adding Williams gives the Yankees a top-tier closer to anchor their bullpen heading into the 2025 season.
With the offseason still unfolding, the Yankees are likely to pursue further roster upgrades.
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