Blue Jays 2025 free agent target: Devin Williams

Devin Williams is the best bounce-back reliever candidate available in free agency.

The Toronto Blue Jays should have some interest in the 31-year-old right-handed pitcher. Before joining the New York Yankees last season, Williams was one of the best high-leverage relievers in baseball. Becoming a regular in 2020 with the Milwaukee Brewers, Williams posted an ERA of below two in four of the five seasons. In those five seasons, Williams had a 1.70 ERA and 2.24 FIP in 222 innings pitched, with a 40.8 K% and 12 BB%.

When Josh Hader was traded to the San Diego Padres before the 2022 trade deadline, Williams became their full-time closer and accumulated 66 saves in 73 attempts, including a career-high 36 saves in 2023, the only season in which he was their full-time closer.

Williams missed a large chunk of the 2024 season due to injury, but when healthy, he pitched to a tune of a 1.25 ERA and 2.06 FIP in 21.2 innings pitched,  with a 43.2 K% and 12.5 BB%. And then the Yankees came knocking, as they sent Nestor Cortes, Caleb Durbin, and cash to the Brewers for Williams’ services.

2025 Season Stats

The 31-year-old didn’t have a great first and potentially only season with the Yankees. In 62 innings pitched, Williams had a 4.79 ERA and 2.68 FIP, with a 34.7 K% and 9.7 BB%. His BB% was a career-best, but his K% dropped to a career-worst.

On Apr. 27, Alejandro Kirk hit a two-run triple off Williams in a 4-2 loss to the American League pennant winners, with Williams losing his closer job. He’d eventually return to form and take back the role, but he blew four of 22 save opportunities. For context, he only blew four saves in 40 opportunities in 2023.

More encouraging for Williams was his September. After giving up four earned runs in a game against the Houston Astros on Sep. 3, Williams pitched nine consecutive games without giving up a run to end his season strong. That continued into the postseason as the Yankees fell to the Blue Jays.

Under the hood, Williams performed well, as you can tell by his 2.68 FIP. He was still among the best at striking batters out, while also getting batters to chase out of the zone and generating whiffs. Williams struggled and has always struggled with walks, but he does well at limiting hard contact.

Williams’ fastball sat at a tick over 94 mph this season, but his best pitch has always been his other pitch, his nasty changeup. Interesting, both pitches generated a whiff % of just over 37%, but at its best, Williams has a whiff of nearly 50% on the changeup.

Does Devin Williams fit on the Blue Jays?

So, is Williams a fit for the Blue Jays? It depends on what they’re going for. If they wish for Jeff Hoffman to move off the closer role, either Edwin Díaz or Robert Suárez is the better option. If the Blue Jays wish to give Hoffman one more chance in the closer role (he was great in the postseason, even with that home run given up), Williams would be a good option to challenge him for the role.

One reason why the Blue Jays could turn to Williams (or Suárez) over Díaz is that neither Williams nor Suárez comes with the loss of a draft pick. Since the Blue Jays are a taxpayer, they’ll lose both their second and fourth round picks if they were to sign a player attached with a decline qualifying offer. If they sign two players, they lose both those picks as well as their third and sixth round picks. It’d be a better idea to lose those picks for a starter and a position player.