Devin Williams Sends Parting Shot at Yankees Fans

Williams' Tumultuous One-Year Yankees Stint

The Yankees landed Williams in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers last offseason that saw left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. and infielder Caleb Durbin go the other way.

As a two-time All-Star and two-time National League Reliever of the Year, the expectation was that the Yankees were acquiring one of the league's top closers who would shut down opposing lineups with ease at the end of the games.

Williams, however, never found his footing in The Bronx. He was allowed to keep his beard upon helping convince the organization to get rid of its long-standing facial hair policy, but that didn't lead to his usual results on the field.

The 31-year-old finished the year with a 4.79 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 62 innings while blowing four saves, marking the worst season of his big-league career up to this point.

Williams certainly was a bit unlucky, as evidenced by his 2.68 FIP, but the Yankees seemingly opted not to make a strong push to retain him. Now, he'll call Queens home for the next three years.

What's Next for Yankees' Bullpen?

Though Williams' late-game inconsistencies were frustrating, the Yankees are now tasked with finding a replacement for him who can reliably fill that role, which is easier said than done given the volatility of relievers.

Perhaps the club will look to re-sign Luke Weaver and have him step into a set-up role ahead of David Bednar, who is expected to continue handle the closer duties after coming over in a deadline trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates this year.

The Yankees are also likely counting on another deadline acquisition in former San Francisco Giants All-StarCamilo Doval to bounce back after logging a 4.82 ERA in 18 2/3 innings for the team down the stretch. Additionally, Tim Hill is set to return after posting a 3.09 ERA in 67 frames last year and having his $3 million club option for the 2026 campaign.

Perhaps the Yankees will make a splash for one of the top relievers on the free agent market in Robert Suarez or Edwin Díaz, the latter of whom Williams may be replacing for the Mets, but it's more likely that they'll bring in a middle-inning option or two rather than a big name in that regard.

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