The New York Yankees have a lot to celebrate about their latest blockbuster offseason, but some of the moves haven’t worked out.
Signing Max Fried appears to have been invaluable as he’s filled in admirably for the loss of franchise ace Gerrit Cole. And the addition of Paul Goldschmidt has offered a critical running mate for Aaron Judge.
But in hindsight, trading for two-time National League Reliever of the Year Devin Williams might have been a mistake.
After his latest appearance on Monday against the San Diego Padres, Williams now has a 10.03 ERA across 14 games this season and it might be time to look into acquiring a new closer.
As the Yankees assess the trade landscape, they could settle on 2024 Major League Baseball saves leader Ryan Helsley, who is likely to be on the trade block as the St. Louis Cardinals rebuild and he heads into free agency at the end of the season.
“With an urgent need for a closer in the Yankees’ lineup, Helsley certainly fits into the system as an elite game-changer,” Shubro Mukherjee explained for Essentially Sports. “He has constantly proven his pedigree by regularly hitting 100+ mph fastballs. Furthermore, the Yankees do not have to worry about bloated long-term deals, as Helsley is still under team control through 2025 via arbitration.”
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So far in 2025, Helsley seems to have lost some of his mojo, though not to the degree of Williams. He has a 3.75 ERA with five saves in eight games finished so far. But if the Yankees feel like Helsley can handle some high-leverage situations in New York, they might see him as a needed upgrade as the playoffs get closer.
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