With MLB free agency now officially underway, and players at liberty to sign with any team, the Philadelphia Phillies will undoubtedly be scouring the market for big-name bullpen help. Jeff Hoffman, who has been an integral part of the relief corps for two years now, and trade deadline acquisition Carlos Estévez are on the market as free agents so the front office will be looking to fill a couple of big holes.
While the free agent closer market has some names the Phillies will be interested in — Tanner Scott, Clay Holmes, as well as Hoffman and Estévez, come to mind — there’s one top closer who could be a trade target for president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and general manager Sam Fuld.
Devin Williams is ripe for a trade after Brewers declined his option and should be a Phillies trade target
The Milwaukee Brewers will surely be getting calls all offseason about closer Devin Williams after the latest news from this past weekend. The Phillies should be one of those teams.
As reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Sunday, the Brewers declined Williams’ $10.5 million option for the 2025 season. He will, however, remain with the Brewers for his final year of arbitration. That’s assuming, of course, that the Brewers, who are always on the lookout for a good trade deal, don’t move the right-hander this winter.
Passan reiterated that Williams is a trade candidate, due to earn $8-9 million. However, MLB Trade Rumors projects a $7.7 million arbitration salary for the 30-year-old.
The Milwaukee Brewers declined closer Devin Williams' club option for $10.5 million, source tells ESPN. 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.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 3, 2024
The former NL Rookie of the Year, two-time All-Star and two-time Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year had a short season in 2024, coming off a lingering back injury in spring training. He didn't make his season debut with the Brewers until July 28. Once he got back on the mound, he looked like the top closer we all remember.
Over 21 2/3 innings, Williams registered a 1.25 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP with 14 saves in 15 attempts. Leaning heavily on his four-seam fastball and his "airbender" changeup, he logged 38 strikeouts, a 43.2 percent strikeout rate.
He's a DAWG @DTrainn_23 pic.twitter.com/n1RsQZsbl9
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) August 21, 2024
For his career, the 2013 second-round draft pick is 68-for-78 in save opportunities with a 1.83 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP and 375 strikeouts in 235 2/3 innings (a 39.4 percent strikeout rate). He would certainly look good coming out of the bullpen at Citizens Bank Park.
With the Phillies looking for a legitimate closer to help get them back to the World Series after two failed postseason runs, adding Williams would be a boon for the 2025 squad — especially if they can bring back one of Hoffman or Estévez.
The caveat here is that he’s slated to become a free agent next offseason. It’s not hard to imagine that the Phillies would ideally prefer to sign him to an extension upon bringing him to Philadelphia. Whether that's a realistic endeavor is another matter.