Re-evaluating the Yankees' Devin Williams trade one month into the season

The New York Yankees’ trade for Devin Williams felt like one that was a long time coming. Over the years, New York’s bullpen had been a quagmire of inconsistency, with 87 blown saves from 2021-24. With one of the MLB’s few elite closers in tow for the last season of his current contract, it seemed as if closing out games would no longer be a problem, at least for a year.

One month into the season, Williams has sorely disappointed. His 7.88 ERA is the highest of any Yankees reliever. Opponents are hitting .303 against him and he has issued seven walks.

To start, the baseball season is still very young and Williams normally starts the year in wobbly fashion with a 4.08 ERA over his career in March/April, including this season. It is way too early for a full-blown panic. However, Williams has never performed this poorly throughout any period of his career.

There are cases where star pitchers are traded to or signed by the Yankees only to quickly lose their elite status. Truth be told, some players, no matter how great they are at baseball, just aren’t made to wear pinstripes. Yankee fans are hoping this isn’t the case with Williams.

That raises the question: Did the Yankees lose the trade that was meant to save their bullpen? Again, it’s too early to say. However, it’s never a bad idea to check in on Williams' trade counterparts.

The Yankees-Brewers trade looked like a win-win for both teams at the time, but if the Yankees have any claim to a win in this trade thus far, it would be because of the home run barrage they launched against their former starter, Nestor Cortes. Since throwing to a 2.44 ERA in 2022, Cortes has seen his performance dip considerably. Like Williams, Cortes is also in the last year of his contract.

After his outing in the Bronx, Cortes threw a six-inning, one-hit gem against the Reds, lowering his ERA to 9.00. Shortly after, Cortes fell on the IL with a flexor strain and was recently transferred to the 60-day IL.

Milwaukee's No. 21 prospect, infielder Caleb Durbin, is already making a good first impression after debuting last Friday. He is 6-for-23 with a home run. Durbin is prized for his excellent plate discipline, staggering speed, and his prowess as a contact-hitter. 

In the minors, he walked a total of 137 times while only striking out 116 times. For Durbin, this has resulted in towering on-base percentages. In the Arizona Fall League last year, Durbin slashed .312/.427/.548 with five home runs and a record 29 stolen bases in 24 games. He was named AFL Breakout Prospect of the Year as a result.

For the Yankees to pull a win out of this trade, Williams will need to find his form. Losing a prospect like Durbin is far too steep of a price for what the team is currently getting from their new closer.