The New York Yankees have roughly $70 million to spend this winter, and one familiar face might be worth a second look.
Devin Williams, their fiery, high-octane closer, had a roller-coaster 2025 season that ended far stronger than it began. Despite the turbulence, his raw stuff still ranks among the most unhittable in baseball — the kind of talent you don’t just replace with ease.
A down year by his standards
On paper, Williams’ 4.79 ERA over 62 innings doesn’t jump off the page. It was the worst mark of his career by a wide margin, his first time posting an ERA above 1.93 since 2021. The numbers suggest regression, but the underlying metrics tell a more complicated story.
Williams still sat in the 97th percentile or better in chase rate, whiff rate, and strikeout percentage. His stuff remained lethal — opposing hitters batted just .194 against his changeup and .204 off his four-seam fastball. The pitches worked; the results didn’t always follow.
Every elite closer has a stretch that humbles them. For Williams, 2025 might’ve been that reset year — one that reminded him how thin the line is between dominance and disaster.
Fireside Yankees of Empire Sports Media details this perfectly, noting his elite strikeout rate despite a poor ERA.
Playoff redemption and renewed confidence
Whatever mechanical tweaks Williams made down the stretch worked. By October, he looked like his old self again, attacking hitters with poise and conviction. His playoff performance was stellar, a glimpse of the form that once made him one of the most feared relievers in the league.
That resurgence is exactly why the Yankees may consider keeping him in pinstripes. They’ve already poured resources into building a strong bullpen for 2026, but a healthy, confident Williams elevates the group from “good” to “dangerous.”
A financial and strategic decision ahead
At 31, Williams sits at a crossroads. The Yankees could issue a $21 million qualifying offer, which would force any suitor to surrender draft compensation to sign him. Given his uneven season, he might accept it — a one-year prove-it deal that lets him rebuild value for a longer payday next winter.
Meanwhile, the Miami Marlins have entered the conversation. According to Kevin Barral of Fish on First, Miami plans to pursue Williams as they prepare to raise payroll and chase legitimate contention. With an adjusted payroll of just $68 million last year, that would represent a sharp change in direction.
Still, money talks — and in the Bronx, there’s plenty of it to go around.
The Yankees’ bullpen identity hangs in the balance
Re-signing Williams wouldn’t just be about numbers. It would be a message that the Yankees still believe in his fire, his intensity, and his ability to finish games under the brightest lights.
Even in a down year, his stuff remains electric, and his ceiling remains elite. The Yankees have decisions to make, but keeping a closer with that kind of raw power and postseason edge might be the smartest investment they can make.