Brewers May Have Lucked Out With Trade Of All-Star Closer

The Milwaukee Brewers are off to a tough start in 2025. They are 23-25 and sit in fourth place in the National League Central, five games out of first.

The team ran away with the NL Central last season, winning 93 games in 2024. But they have not been able to replicate that success, and they are missing a middle-of-the-order presence and back-end relief presence thanks to the departures of Willy Adames and Devin Williams.

Williams, however, has not lived up to expectations with the New York Yankees. Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report believes this was New York's biggest mistake in the offseason.

"The Airbender might have turned a corner. Over his last five appearances, Devin Williams has gone 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk with seven strikeouts. That's quite the 180 from opening the year with a line of 11.2 IP, 13 H, 13 ER, 10 BB, 13 K, but how long will it be before they truly trust him in a key late-inning spot again?" Miller wrote.

In 19 appearances, the two-time All-Star is 2-2 with a 7.31 ERA and just four saves with the Bronx Bombers, and while the Brewers didn't get much in return for him, they certainly dodged a bullet thanks to his struggles.

The Brewers still need a back-end presence and could look to fill that need at the trade deadline if they are contending, but it obviously won't be Williams, and they'll want to make sure that they are picking up somebody who is producing.