Yankees Should Flip Struggling Closer at the Deadline

To his credit, Williams has cleaned things up a bit lately, posting a respectable 2.45 ERA across 12 appearances last month. But here’s the kicker: he’s a free agent after the season and, honestly, doesn’t seem like a fit for the Yankees’ future plans. 

With Luke Weaver waiting in the wings to reclaim the closer role once he’s off the IL, Williams’ days as New York’s go-to shut-down guy look numbered.

So why hold onto a reliever who’s clearly not comfortable in pinstripes and probably won’t be back next year? So MLB.com's Mark Feinsand suggests the Yankees kick the tires on a trade come July, snag some value, and avoid the painful “watch him walk for nothing” scenario.

It's not like Yankees fans would be upset. 

Trading Williams midseason feels like throwing in the towel early. But maybe the Yankees have finally learned that it's better to admit a mistake early than to watch a player continue to struggle in New York. Remember Joey Gallo? Sonny Gray?

Williams certainly has time to rebuild his reputation with Weaver on the injured list. He's the closer, for now, and he can help his own cause since he is hitting free agency this fall. The Yankees can help theirs by admitting he's just not the right fit.