The post-Juan Soto pivot for the Yankees continued in spectacular fashion on Friday, as New York reportedly acquires two-time All-Star Devin Williams from Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr. and outfield prospect Caleb Durbin. As questions about Soto’s exit from the Bronx persist After the New York Mets superstar outfielder’s introductory press conference Thursday in Queens, Brian Cashman and Co. moved forward in a crucial winter for the storied franchise and managed to land one of the biggest names on the trade market in Williams.
Cortes and Williams share the unfortunate distinction of allowing two of the most memorable home runs of recent postseasons: Pete Alonso’s go-ahead run in the deciding Game 3 of the wild-card series in Milwaukee (Williams) and Freddie Freeman’s strikeout . grand slam in the first game of the World Series in Los Angeles (Cortes). The gut-wrenching home runs were allowed under drastically different circumstances, with Williams, the closer in the world, trying to pull off a save like countless times before, compared to a starting pitcher in Cortes being thrust into the most leverage situation elevated from his career in a rare relief. His appearance after an elbow injury kept him sidelined for several weeks.
Although both pitchers’ seasons ended on sour notes, these flash moments shouldn’t cloud our perception of them as they prepare to contribute to their new clubs.
Part of the reason Alonso’s home run was so remarkable is that such impactful swings against Williams have been extremely rare during the right-hander’s career. His career 1.83 ERA and .157 batting average paint an accurate picture of a venerable tight end who dominated opposing lineups in high-leverage scenarios with his fantastic fastball and preternatural changeups for over of half a decade. His control remains shaky, with walk rates hovering around 12% per year, but few relievers possess such a potent combination of offerings.
Williams missed the first half of the 2024 season with a back injury, but barely missed a beat in his return and was totally dominant down the stretch — until the ill-timed home run of Alonso. He immediately steps into the ninth inning role for New York, joining Luke Weaver as the Yankees’ go-to arm and representing a crucial addition following The departure of Clay Holmes.
As if Alonso’s homer against Williams wasn’t dramatic enough, Cortes’ low point against Freeman in the 10th inning of Game 1 of the World Series will be replayed for decades to come. But unlike Williams, who will be asked to provide the final outs of the game, don’t expect to see Cortes out of the Milwaukee bullpen anytime soon. Despite finishing the regular season on the injured list due to left elbow flexor strain, Cortes has tallied a career-high 174 1/3 innings for New York in 2024 – more than no matter which Brewers starting pitcher.
Cortes’ added mastery of a deep arsenal hasn’t yielded as remarkable results as we saw during his 2022 All-Star campaign, but he posted a 3.77 ERA that equates to a of 109+ park-adjusted, comfortably above league average. He adds a much-needed left-handed element to a Brewers rotation that was previously expected to feature exclusively righties, with Freddy Peralta, Tobias Myers, Aaron Civale and Brandon Woodruff (returning from shoulder surgery) looking like Cortes’ peers in the lineup. starting team.
What do the Yankees think of this deal?
For New York, this is a fantastic follow-up to Mass signing of Max Fried to eight-year, $218 million contract. The Yankees strengthened their rotation with one of the best left-handed starters in the league, Fried, and are now strengthening their bullpen with one of the best defenders in baseball, Williams. While there is still plenty of work to be done to address the position player group, the Yankees correctly identified that replacing Soto’s impact on the offense would be difficult – if not impossible – given the options available and of Soto’s unique ability. Instead, they have thus far pursued high-end talent on the mound in hopes of building an elite pitching staff that can serve as the backbone of the team’s success.
It’s also an impressive example of how player identification and development can allow teams to sign top-tier talent via trade without hindering the overall strength of their roster. Cortes blossomed in his late 20s as a legitimate mid-rotation starter under the tutelage of New York’s famed pitching development apparatus. But following the emergence of young right-handers Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil, as well as the arrival of Fried, Cortes was replaceable for New York while remaining valuable to a contending club like Milwaukee.
Durbin, meanwhile, was acquired from Atlanta two winters ago in exchange for a veteran reliever in Lucas Luetge and subsequently developed in New York’s minor league system to become a highly anticipated prospect. coveted by other teams. He seemed poised to contribute in some form to the Yankees infield in 2025, but he also wasn’t sure as a rising rookie. This made him an ideal trade chip in a deal for a proven weapon such as Williams, while the Yankees still have ample time to address their infield in other ways.
What do the Brewers think?
Milwaukee has executed this playbook before, having traded star closer Josh Hader before the end of his contract and dealing ace Corbin Burnes with one year remaining on his contract. While Williams was injured in 2024, the Brewers demonstrated they can create viable high-leverage relief arms as well as any organization in baseball, and several candidates could emerge in 2025 as the next great Milwaukee closer. Gigantic flamethrower Trevor Megill, who has quietly made 21 saves in 2024, is the heir apparent as things stand, although he’ll have to prove he can hold up over the course of a full season . His 48 appearances and 46 1/3 innings in 2024 both marked career highs at the big league level.
If Milwaukee had focused strictly on eliminating Williams’ salary, this likely would have been a deal built around prospects and/or players in pre-arbitration. But MLB Trade Rumors projects Williams and Cortes to earn about $7.7 million in their final year of arbitration, meaning Milwaukee’s payroll won’t change dramatically with this decision. (The Yankees reportedly sent Milwaukee $2 million in the trade.) The acquisition of Cortes signals the Brewers’ intention to reallocate resources to their weak rotation and serves as a reminder that they are still in win-win mode. now, despite the transactions. away from their closer celebration. With free agency approaching next winter, Cortes might only be a short-term solution, but for a team in dire need of quality innings en masse, the southpaw could prove extremely valuable as manager Pat Murphy’s team attempts to defend its NL Central crown. .
It’s not just about trading a year closer for a year away. Durbin is the third and final piece of this deal – and it’s not an insignificant piece. The soon-to-be 25-year-old infielder’s improbable journey continues to unfold in fascinating fashion, marking the second time he’s been traded since the Braves drafted him in the 14th round in 2021. Which makes Durbin rare does his path lead to professional ballwhile the Chicago area native played collegiately at Washington University in St. Louis, a renowned program at the Division III level.
Being drafted into a Div. School III is rare, especially as a position player. But Durbin’s uncanny batting skills (he struck out two in 190 plate appearances as a junior at WashU), impressive athleticism and defensive versatility despite his size (he’s 5-foot-6) attracted scouts and analysts. consider it a viable prospect. Since then, he has continued to perform at a high level at every stop in the minor leagues, most recently as a star prospect in the Arizona Fall League. Previously slated to factor in the Yankees’ infield, Durbin now moves to a Brewers team in need of a shakeup following the departure of star shortstop Willy Adames in free agency and will join Joey Ortiz and Brice Turang as pieces promising chess for Murphy to move into the infield.
