Devin Williams endured a tumultuous season in the Bronx, but the free agent has expressed interest in returning to New York. Williams told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com he’d “definitely be open” to rejoining the Yankees in free agency. “I really enjoyed my experience here. … There’s a lot to like about this city, but it took me some time to adjust.”
New York acquired Williams from Milwaukee this past offseason. The Yankees gave up left-hander Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin for a year of the elite closer’s services. The team’s previous stopper, Clay Holmes, bolted in free agency for a starting opportunity with the Mets. New York was able to replace Holmes with one of the premier relievers of the decade, though the move didn’t pan out as expected.
Williams earned a save against his former team on opening night. He gave up three base runners and needed 36 pitches to get three outs, but got the job done. Williams had a couple of uneven performances in the ensuing weeks, including an extra-inning loss against Pittsburgh, though none came in save situations. He locked down all four of his initial save chances. Williams coughed up a four-run lead on April 19 against Tampa Bay, leading to another extra-inning defeat. In his next appearance, Williams gave up three runs and recorded zero outs to blow his first save. The rough outing cost him the closing gig.
The next few months saw Williams work himself back into the late-inning mix after initially working in low-leverage spots. Luke Weaver earned six saves in May, but a hamstring strain cost him most of June. Williams returned to the closer role and went 12-for-13 on save chances from June through July. New York added a slew of relievers at the trade deadline, including a pair of closers in Camilo Doval and David Bednar. It was Bednar who would assume the role for New York, picking up 10 saves over the final two months of the season. He added two more saves in the playoffs.
Williams’ 4.79 ERA stands out as easily the worst of his seven-year MLB career, but he looked more or less like himself after regaining the closer’s role. Williams posted a 3.92 ERA with an elite 38.6% strikeout rate from June through the end of the regular season. He ripped off nine straight scoreless outings heading into the playoffs, then put up four more zeroes in the postseason. Williams averaged 94.1 mph on his fastball this year, which was down slightly from 2024 (94.7 mph), but right in line with 2023 (94.2 mph) and 2022 (94.1 mph).
The most encouraging sign for Williams, and maybe the biggest factor as he enters free agency, was durability. He made it through 2025 unscathed in the health department, leading to career highs in innings (62) and appearances (67). Williams missed the first four months of his final season in Milwaukee with stress fractures in his back. He was his usual dominant self when he returned, but the 21 2/3 innings he totaled were his fewest in a season since his rookie year.
Williams is entering a crowded reliever market. Proven closers Ryan Helsley and Raisel Iglesias are the headliners, along with Williams. Edwin Díaz and Robert Suarez could join them if they opt out of their current contracts. Emilio Pagan and Shawn Armstrong are coming off career years as fill-in closers. Veterans like Kenley Jansen, Kirby Yates, and Kyle Finnegan have plenty of late-inning experience. Weaver might’ve earned himself a look as a closer after two strong seasons in New York.
Age is certainly on Williams’ side compared to the other available bullpen options. He’s now entering his age-31 season, making him one of the youngest notable free agent relievers. Williams is well-positioned to earn one of the longest and most lucrative contracts of the group, despite the hiccup to begin his New York tenure.
The Yankees will have Bednar and Doval under team control for next season, so they don’t have a strong need to reunite with Williams. Bednar’s ascension to the closer role after joining the team may also be a factor. Williams said it “depends on the scenario” regarding whether being the closer would impact his free agency decision.
With both Williams and Weaver potentially on the move, New York likely needs another piece or two to solidify the backend of the bullpen. The Yankees ranked just 23rd in bullpen ERA in 2025. They slipped to 26th after the trade deadline. Given their history of spending, the franchise will likely be in the mix for every notable name on the market.
Nah, we good.
Open to reunion with money.
Some team will give him a closer job with closer money. Not the Yankees.
Durbin was the only guy in this trade who did well.
Someone will give Williams two years and twenty million. Maybe even the Mets.
I wouldn’t be surprised be he gets at least a three-year deal with an even higher AAV.
More than twenty.
I meant my years and dollars as a floor of what he will get, agree that he might get more years and dollars.
As long as his arm is healthy and the Cubs don’t pick up Kittredge’s 9 million dollar option maybe they can repurpose that money on Williams. A former Closer who maybe with a little help from Hottovy can regain his form and add to a Cubs pen that has flamethrowers and he could be a change of pace guy with his change up. Just thinking outside the box a little. Poking at the Brewers might be fun too.
He can’t suck as much as Tanner Scott, right?
I think Williams is a head case, but when he’s on, he’s as good as anyone, and you might get him relatively cheap.
Even as bad as he was last year, he still finished the year with a 0.36 FIP in his last 19 games.
No thanks, easy pass on that!
Good riddance. At the time last year was a decent decision to replace Holmes. However, he crashed and burned. BP needs a complete overhaul.
It is amazing how quickly the Yankees bullpen went from strength to “keep Bednar and burn down the rest of the pen”.
The Yankees have consistently built top bullpens over the past decade plus, but there was bound to be a year it all fell apart. Relievers are volatile. That year was 2025. Even the midyear replacements had issues outside of Bednar.
Gave up more runs in ‘25 than previous 3 yrs combined
Yankees wouldn’t sign him for a bucket of fried chicken let alone millions of $
Why should they when they have Grays’ Papaya….?
Ha ha. Devin doesn’t have access to the internet ?
Yes, the Yankees should definitely resign him so he can stink up their pen again next year.
I hope people realize that Devin’s comment on his willingness to come back to Yankees is meaningless. It only hurts a player’s market to rule out one potential suitor, especially a deep pocketed suitor like the Yankees. Whether he really would return to the Yankees (assuming they are even close interested) is an open question. It certainly didn’t appear that he loved it that much. He was booed most of the season. I strongly suspect he wants to move on.
I agree with dougsolo2. Most free agents state that they are open to signing another contract with the team they just played for, and then they sign elsewhere.
Exactly. When was the last time we heard a player say he wasn’t open to signing back with his old team?
No one wants a player who isn’t respectful of the team he’s leaving. Because at some point he’ll be leaving the team who signs him next.
Say positive things and move on. Keep it simple. Don’t limit your options or bargaining power.
To sign Alonzo & Begman
Devin Williams, you are a Texas Ranger BUB. Down season Rangers will give you a two year deal with an opt out. This is the kind of move. They always make with closers.
Yankees offer: 1 year/$1M and no guarantee of playing time. You’re basically a Quadruple-A depth piece.
Other teams: 1 year/$15M or 2 years/$35M w/ opt outs that he could turn into 3-4 years at $20M+ a season.
Hmm… which to choose… which to choose….
They’re a good backup option for each other.
Thanks for thinking of us Devin lol
lol. Not sure the feeling is mutual there Mr. Williams
I think he probably gets a good deal somewhere. Personally I wouldn’t mind my O’s taking a look at him as our bullpen is in shambles at the moment. Hard Hit% jumped up a bit this year for him and in turn so did the BAbip against him. His K% took a slight step back but is still damn good. He actually reduced his walks per 9 by exactly 1 since last year which is good to see. It’s pretty interesting to look up his splits by his performance at certain ballparks/ against certain teams. He was “okay” in my opinion at home in yankees stadium with a 3.69 ERA, .947 WHIP, 13.1 K/9 but if he’s your closer you do expect better than the overall he produced as well as that production at home. I think he’s worth a chance depending on the team, might even end up looking like a bargain if this season was just an oddity.
The Orioles have shown the ability to get the most of of arms that had potential but didn’t bloom elsewhere. Bullpen arms are volatile, generally. He is a candidate to bounce back. I also wouldn’t mind seeing him with the Orioles, on the right deal. I believe he is not eligible for a qualifying offer so that makes acquiring him more desirable. I think Wells should be used as a high leverage arm and due to injuries and likely inning limitations, I don’t think putting Grayson in the bullpen for a season would be a horrible idea either. Depending on the starters they acquire and how the rotation shakes out, the bullpen could be less of a question mark than it seems.
@ba$eba||
I think Rubenstein should back up the Brinks truck and sign both Wms and Robert Suarez (to join his brother, Albert) in Baltimore.
Those 2 could bring some late inning veteran stability to a young and shakey bullpen.
They’d need another Brinks truck for the
TOR and 2nd starter and then improve their offense against lefties.
Those 5 moves could give them a decent chance to rise above the disappointing meh-ness of 2025 and maybe pay the Etsy Witch to cast a spell so their young bats actually play up to their talent and remember how to play defense while they’re at it.
Dare to dream my Oriole friends.
I think they should be seriously considering Imai and making a big push to acquire him when he’s posted. I also, as I did last year, believe Alonso fits entirely too well in this lineup for them to not make a run at him too. The legitimate RH power bat this team needs.
They have something like 80 million committed for 2026 right now. The should be able to carry a 150-170 million payroll yearly, that’s not out of their reach.
“arms that had potential but didn’t bloom elsewhere”
I assume you are aware that he’s a 2 time reliever of the year, rookie of the year and one of the best relief pitchers in all of baseball for several years in a row with the Brewers?
You’d have to live under a rock to not know that. My comment about bullpen arms being volatile and the Orioles recent ability to help arms succeed that haven’t elsewhere (Cano, Bautista etc) was simply referencing the fact that Williams had a down year, sure, but he’s a bounce back candidate and working with the pitching development people in Baltimore could not only provide the basis for a return to form but improvement as well.
That’s pretty funny. Of course “he’s open for a reunion” it’s called shopping yourself around and why not start at at where your locker was the last time you used it. Maybe the Yankees just need to be patient and when lasagna comes off the IL for the.. (lost count) insert number ➡️______ everything will be AO-K.
As much as I thought Williams was a disaster earlier in the season, he actually finished pretty well and had a decent playoffs. I could see the Yankees possibly bringing him back for the right price.
Williams might want to return, but even Cashman is able to see that the guy suffers from Sonny Gray Syndrome and isn’t emotionally equipped to deal with New York.
Lot$ to like about the city $ays it all. Lots to do and spend while in NYC. Nevermind performing unless its on 42nd street.
When you pitch like he did this year you can’t be picky about where you sign
I see a team like the Twins or maybe the Giants,not bright lights but not completely bottom dweller.Maybe even the Tigers.
I think Williams needs a lower-stress environment. He could be very good, but just not for NY.
Think someone is going to get a good deal in Devin, but doubt it’s the Yankees. His underlying numbers were still very strong, think the downgrade in defense and luck are the biggest factors in his disappointing season.
He probably isn’t going to ever be what he was early on, but with a strong defense, a team could get something close to that on a pillow contract, and slap him with a QO after the season
I was surprised to see his FIP was in line with the rest of his career.
1/$12 – take it or leave it.
If I’m the Yanks I’d listen to his price. He might be redeemable.
I’m also one of the few believers in Williams. Bednar is the closer next year. I doubt he’ll take set-up money when some other team is going offer him closer money during free agency.
I hope the Yankees pass on him
He’s open to a reunion, doubt the Yankees are.
Highly likely to bounce back away from the Yankees.
Is he also open to a minor league invite to spring training? Because that is probably the only way the Yankees bring him back
It’s not that bad. They rostered him during the playoffs and he did well.
The Crew should offer him something in the 4year 40mil$ range loaded with opt outs….. maybe they’d get fortunate and be able to add one of their former “stars” back in free agency, as a Crew fan the more I think on it…. DON’T..
Lolololololololll
In related news, the Atlanta Braves sign Jesse Chavez.
In related news to the related news, the New York Mets have signed Jesse Orosco.
lyle lovett: open to reunion with julia roberts
Sure, if he really decides to pitch
Nah, too inconsistent for the role and money he is going to want..
The changeup crap might get out hitters in the NL Central Division, but the A.L.east eats that up alive, to a tune of a 5.21 era
He lost a bet. With whom, and what the wager was placed on is unknown, but that explains why he said something so stupid out loud to the public.
I bet he is ! lol
Devin was the second big mistake of the Yankees this year, the biggest? Non other than Garret Cole who had to wait this April for TJS when he could have done it at the end of the last season which would have given the team enough time to look for a substitute.
The biggest mistake was not having a physical after he opted out. I understand Cashman allowing him to change his mind, but there was no downside to having a doctor take a look.
Many people here predict Williams will be a star closer for a team next year. I have my doubts. What contending team — those are the ones willing to pay a lot for a closer — would want to count on him in that role?
You’re right. They should have parted ways with him then even not knowing TSJ was coming. Winning Cy Young and all, they had a good run, the best out of his whole career. Yes he may still have some left in the tank but not worth what he will be making.
1 year “prove-it” contract with a team looking to flip him at the deadline. White Sox, Pirates maybe Stl…
Nah, Williams will be signing elsewhere this off -season, Yankees have Bednar and Doval for 2026. Not enough save opportunities for three closers. You have other teams that may take a chance on a closer as long as Williams terms are not outrageous, I could see Texas or maybe Atlanta and Baltimore would be in on William’s if the price is right for them. But as far as the Yankees, don’t really see him returning in the pinstripes
Yanks lost that trade
Brewers got an up and coming excellent player who is Theirs for years
The yanks got a bunch of losses that cost them first place and now a free agent