With the Milwaukee Brewers now eliminated from the postseason, they’ll enter the offseason with many painfully tough decisions. Several key players are expected to enter free agency. However, one decision that shouldn’t be too difficult for the team is trading closer Devin Williams. He’ll have one year remaining on his current contract, Milwaukee probably isn’t offering him an extension, and Trevor Megill has already shown that he is a capable closer. Given how inflated the pitching market has become, the Brewers might be able to command a nice return. Trading Devin Williams away should be a big priority for the Brewers this winter.
Devin Williams Has Had A Lot Of Success
Embed from Getty ImagesSince becoming the full-time closer late in the 2022 season, Devin Williams has had a lot of success. The former Rookie of the Year has gone 15-7 with an ERA of 1.68, 221 strikeouts, a 0.9742, and he’s racked up 65. Williams has also been an all-star and NL Reliever of the Year two times. Despite missing most of this season with a back injury, the 30-year-old returned to earn 14 saves in just 22 games pitched.
Devin Williams Will Be A Free Agent After Next Season
Embed from Getty ImagesDevin Williams’s current contract contains a $10.5 million club option. The team is most likely going to exercise that option which would bring him back for the 2025 season. However, Williams will be officially eligible for free agency after next season. Given how the franchise operates, they probably won’t be offering Devin Williams a contract extension. Since the Brewers are probably going to lose him to free agency, the team is better off letting him go now. Trading Williams now would allow the team to command a heftier return unlike if they waited until the season. The other alternative is losing him in free agency for nothing. Trading him could also perhaps free up some money to possibly bring back Willy Adames as well.
Trevor Megill Is Ready To Be The Next Closer
Embed from Getty ImagesThe organization has done a great job at finding their next closer whenever one departs the team. They’ve gone from Corey Knebel to Josh Hader to Devin Williams presently. Presumedly, the next pitcher to take the baton would be Trevor Megill. While Williams was out, it was Megill who handled the ninth inning and earned a total of 21 saves. At one point this season, the only pitchers who had more saves than Megill were Ryan Helsley, Kyle Finnegan, Raisel Iglesias, and Robert Suarez. With how successful Megill was at closing games, one could argue that he deserved to be an all-star. Since Trevor Megill proved he’s capable of closing games, this now makes Williams expandable.
Trading Devin Williams Is An Easy Decision
Embed from Getty ImagesEvery winter, the Milwaukee Brewers always have difficult decisions, and this offseason is no exception. However, trading Devin Williams shouldn’t be too difficult of a decision for the team to make. He’ll be a free agent after 2025, Trevor Megill proved he’s capable of closing games, and the team can get a heftier return if they trade him now. While it’s difficult to replace an all-star caliber closer, Milwaukee has done it successfully two different times. With the closer role in a great position going forward, trading Devin Williams should be an easy decision.
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3 Comments
100% they need to rid of him and not because of just this one game….he is not a true closer– he may eventually get the job done but he makes you nervous… when you see him come out, you are like “which Williams are we getting this time?” Same with Peralta as a starter…. he just can’t make it through a decent amount of innings despite his flame throwing ability. I said a couple years ago they should try him as a closer or late relief…after they did it in playoff game 3, maybe they’re thinking about it. I do think Megill needs to close
Couldn’t the Brewers buyout his option for $250k and just pay him the arbitration which would likely be under $8m and save themselves over $2m?
The Brewers got nothing but trash for Hader. Thankfully they spun Esteury Ruiz into gold by dealing him for William Contreras.