There is no denying that Devin Williams struggled in his first season with the New York Yankees. He failed to show the consistency that made him a formidable closer with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Williams started as the club's closer, but that did not last long. With his mistakes, they decided to shift toward Luke Weaver and then a closer by committee role later in the season.
Now, he heads to free agency looking for his next big contract. However, his status surely took a hit after the up-and-down season he just had.
Yankees' Devin Williams predicted to sign multi-year deal over the winter
Unfortunately for Williams, there are multiple closers on the open market. He will have to compete with the likes of players like Edwin Diaz, Robert Suarez, Ryan Helsley, and others.
However, even with the stiff competition, ESPN's Kiley McDaniel believes Williams will receive a three-year, $45 million deal in free agency.
"Williams might see more value in a shorter-term deal or one with an opt-out to reset his market, but I think there will be three-year interest at a healthy AAV."
One team that could be looking for a new closer over the winter is the Toronto Blue Jays. During media availability on Thursday, GM Ross Atkins questioned if Jeff Hoffman would be the man closing games in 2026.
The New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies are also teams to watch here. With Edwin Diaz and Jordan Romano free agents, both teams will be looking to replace their closers if they cannot re-sign them.
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