Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams has established himself as one of the top relief pitchers in the MLB, but he could be on the move soon after the Brewers made a huge decision on his contract.
The Brewers declined Williams' team option, which means he will enter his final year with the team in 2025, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
“The Milwaukee Brewers declined closer Devin Williams' club option for $10.5 million, source tells ESPN,” Passan reported on X, formerly Twitter. “He'll receive a $250,000 buyout. Williams remains with the Brewers, will be in his final year of arbitration and is expected to make $8-9 million. He's a trade candidate, too.”
The fact that Williams is in his final year makes him a natural trade candidate for teams who are looking for help in the bullpen. Even if he isn't moved this offseason, keep an eye on multiple contenders trying to pry him away from Milwaukee as the 2025 trade deadline approaches.
The Brewers may want to keep Williams if they're going to try to make another playoff run in 2025. They comfortably won the NL Central by 10 games in 2024 and could be in for a similar season in 2025 if they can bring a majority of their core back.
Of course, Williams was one of the main reasons why the Brewers couldn't turn that regular season success into a deep playoff run. He allowed the go-ahead three-run home run to Pete Alonso in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card series against the New York Mets. That blown save eventually cost the Brewers their season.
The fact that the season ended on such a sour note shouldn't erase the work that Williams did in 2024. Despite missing a lot of time at the beginning of the season due to a back injury, Williams returned and immediately resembled his former self. The former National League Reliever of the Year recorded 14 saves in 22 appearances and allowed just three runs in 21.2 innings.
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