MLB trade rumors | Mark Polishuk: At this point, it’s difficult to pinpoint which relief pitchers the Yankees haven’t been associated with in some way, shape, or form, but former Astros righty Phil Maton was one of them. He has now gone the way of Wandy Peralta, Keynan Middleton, Robert Stephenson, and others, since he is no longer on the board. Mark Feinsand stated that he had virtually completed a deal with the Rays. So, Ryan Brasier, anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips At an autograph session in New Jersey, Aaron Boone was asked about the Orioles’ acquisition of Corbin Burnes and his thoughts on the New York rotation. The responses are probably about what you’d expect (spoiler: Burnes is good; Booney likes his people), but I’d also like to point out the man’s extensive journey yesterday, as he apparently traveled from East Rutherford all the way down to Chapel Hill to see the UNC/Duke game later that day. He is a busy guy!
MLB.com | Antonio Castrovince: If you’ve been following MLB Network or their social media platforms for the past month or so, you’ve most likely seen them go through their “Top 10 Right Now” series on each position. After reviewing them all, Castrovince stated that shortstop appeared to be the deepest, and he mentioned Anthony Volpe as someone who could join that group in 2024. Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole were voted first in center field and starting pitching, respectively, while Juan Soto finished third in right field.
MLB Next Game – New York Yankees
NJ.com | Randy Miller: This is a subscriber-only story, but if you have access to the NJ.com article, you may read a hilarious interview with underrated catching prospect Ben Rice. He had one of the most odd baseball histories, since he was an Ivy League catcher who only played seven games in his final two years at Dartmouth due to COVID-19’s impact on those seasons. However, since being selected in 2021, he has made an excellent transition from relative unknown to fascinating prospect, with a 1.049 OPS in 48 games at Double-A to end off 2023. Although Rice may still be a long shot for New York, he’s at least delighted to have placed himself into the debate.
Blockbuster Trade Offer Sends Shutdown All-Star Reliever to Yankees
Spring training is just around the way, but the Milwaukee Brewers are open for business. After moving starting pitcher Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles, might Devin Williams, the 2023 Reliever of the Year, be next?
On February 1, MLB.com’s Adam McCalvey stated that the Brewers “wouldn’t shut down any conversations at this point in the offseason” about players they were willing to trade. With that in mind, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter brainstormed possible landing destinations for Williams on February 2. One involves the right-handed pitcher who will be sent to the New York Yankees as part of a four-player deal. Here are the details:
The Yankees acquire right-handed pitcher Devin Williams.
Brewers acquire right-handed pitcher Will Warren, third baseman Tyler Hardman, and right-handed pitcher Justin Lange.
Following the 2023 season, all three of these Yankee prospects were ranked in MLB.com’s top 30. Warren was the highest, ranking ninth overall. Hardman concluded the year as New York’s 15th-ranked prospect, while Lange, 22, was placed 26th.
Williams would be a huge upgrade for the Yankees’ bullpen.
Three top-30 prospects for a bullpen pitcher may seem like a steep price. However, there are two compelling reasons why the cost of acquiring Williams could be so high: his performance and his present contract predicament.
Williams impressed during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, capturing National League Rookie of the Year honors. Through 27 innings, he had a 0.33 ERA and 53 strikeouts. That performance earned him down-ballot Cy Young votes (he ended seventh) and MVP votes (18th). After seeing his ERA rise to 2.50 through 54 innings in 2021, he has had two consecutive years with an ERA under 2.00.
Williams is 14-7 in his most recent 119.1 innings, with a 1.73 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 183 strikeouts. Only two relievers with 80 or more innings pitched since 2022 have lower ERAs than Williams. According to FanGraphs, the hurlers are Evan Phillips (1.59) and Ryan Helsley (1.69).
The Brewers’ shutdown reliever is under team control for two more years before becoming a free agent, but the financial commitment is mostly set. According to Spotrac, he is expected to earn a basic salary of $7 million in 2024. There is also a 2025 club option for $10.5 million, which could grow depending on performance.
The American League East Just Got a Little Tougher in 2024.
On January 18, Brendan Kuty of The Athletic claimed that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman had moved his offseason focus to the bullpen. Prior to signing a five-year contract with the Houston Astros, New York was reportedly interested in closer Josh Hader. The Bombers were also said to be interested in reuniting with either Wandy Peralta or Kenyan Middleton, who both threw in the Bronx in 2023. However, each hurler recently signed elsewhere.
Peralta agreed to a four-year contract with the San Diego Padres on January 31. Middleton followed suit, signing with the St. Louis Cardinals on February 1.
After a poor 82-80 season in 2023, the Yankees have made significant moves this summer. Outfielders Alex Verdugo, Trent Grisham, and Juan Soto were all acquired through trades. Marcus Stroman, a starting pitcher, was signed as a free agent. They were already seeking for another bullpen arm, but the Orioles’ recent signing of Burnes may increase the pressure on New York to act quickly.
On February 3, Yankees manager Aaron Boone spoke with MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch about Baltimore’s decision to strengthen their rotation. “That could be a bit of a problem,” he added.
The Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, and Tampa Bay Rays are the three clubs from the American League East that will compete in the 2023 postseason. It was already going to be a difficult fight throughout the 2024 regular season. However, seeing the defending division champion Orioles get an ace in Burnes makes things a little more difficult.
