According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Boston Red Sox are one of several teams that have shown interest in former New York Yankees closer Devin Williams.
Sammon added that the Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cincinnati Reds are three of "approximately 12 teams" intrigued by the two-time All-Star.
Williams posted a career-worst 4.79 ERA in 2025 with the Yankees, losing the closer's role multiple times. He was considered one of the best relief pitchers in baseball during his first six seasons in MLB with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Before last offseason's trade to the Yankees, Williams posted three consecutive seasons with an ERA of 1.93 or lower, thanks to a deadly changeup that's earned him the nickname "The Airbender".
Is Williams a fit with the Red Sox?
While Williams' season with the Yankees did not go as planned, there's reason to believe he can have a bounce-back season in 2026 with a team like the Red Sox. Opposing batters hit.194 against the right-hander's changeup, and he carried a strikeout rate of 34.7%.
However, Boston already has Aroldis Chapman closing games, so Williams would have to continue in a setup role. Joining Williams as the top closers on the free agent market are Edwin Diaz and Robert Suarez, both coming off All-Star campaigns.
The Athletic's Free Agent Big Board has Diaz and Suarez ahead of Williams in their rankings, but Williams' previous success indicates he may not be far behind. After Yankees fans watched Williams blow nine saves in 2025, they would likely rather not see him turn his luck around with their hated American League East rivals from Boston.