The Winter Meetings might be done, but the big trades aren’t. The Yankees and Brewers on Friday agreed to a trade sending star closer Devin Williams to New York in exchange for left-hander Nestor Cortes, infield prospect Caleb Durbin and a reported $2MM in cash.
Both Williams and Cortes are entering their final seasons of club control, and both were projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn $7.7MM in 2025. Milwaukee will still come out ahead a couple million dollars ahead, which is of some moderate note, as the Brewers are working on an extremely tight budget this winter. Durbin, meanwhile, is a second baseman with experience at the hot corner. He was added to the Yankees’ 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 protection deadline and is likely to slot in at second or third base in 2025, with one of Brice Turang or Joey Ortiz moving to shortstop in place of Willy Adames, who signed with the Giants as a free agent.
Williams, 30, is one of the game’s elite relievers. The 2020 National League Rookie of the Year, he boasts a career 1.83 earned run average with 68 saves, 60 holds, a 39.4% strikeout rate and 48.1% ground-ball rate in his big league career. Command has been an issue at times (11.8% walk rate), but Williams’ utterly devastating changeup — nicknamed the “Airbender” — is one of the most dominant pitches in the entire sport. He’s finished off 2299 big league plate appearances with that pitch, during which opponents have posted a comically feeble .139/.223/.200. The pitch boasts a preposterous 23% swinging-strike rate.
Among pitchers with at least 200 innings pitched since 2019, Emmanuel Clase (1.67) is the only pitcher with a better ERA than Williams’ 1.83 mark. No other pitcher is within even 40 points. (Jacob deGrom is next, at 2.24.) In that same time, only Josh Hader and Edwin Diaz have posted higher strikeout rates than Williams’ 39.4%. Only Gerrit Cole has a higher mark in terms of win probability added. Hader is second in WPA among relievers, but his 12.46 mark isn’t close to Williams’ 14.24. Sports Info Solutions credits Williams’ changeup as far and away the most valuable pitch of its type in the majors.
Dominant as Williams has been, he’ll come to the Yankees with some recent injury concerns. A stress fracture in his lower back caused the right-hander to miss the first four months of the 2024 season. Williams wasn’t activated for his 2024 debut until July 28. Once healthy, he generally looked like his dominant self, rattling off 21 2/3 innings with a microscopic 1.25 ERA, a massive 43.2% strikeout rate and an unsightly 12.5% walk rate (that was largely mitigated by his near-unparalleled ability to rack up strikeouts). Of course, the lasting memory for many fans will unfortunately be the backbreaking three-run homer that Williams surrendered to Pete Alonso in Milwaukee’s NLDS loss to the Mets.
Similarly, one of Cortes’ final moments as a Yankee is one he’d like to forget. The left-hander served up a walk-off grand slam to Freddie Freeman in Game 1 of the World Series — the first of four Gibson-esque home runs the hobbled L.A. first baseman swatted en route to World Series MVP honors. As with Williams, there are some notable 2024 health concerns; Cortes gutted his way through a late-season flexor strain to return to the Yankees in the postseason. Cortes was also limited to 12 starts in 2023, thanks to a strain in his rotator cuff. Clearly, both clubs are satisfied with the medical reports on the veterans they’re acquiring.
Cortes, who just turned 30, has been a rock-solid mid-rotation arm when healthy in recent seasons. Dating back to his 2021 breakout with the Yankees, he’s pitched 489 innings with a 3.33 ERA, 25.2% strikeout rate and 6.2% walk rate. The ERA is skewed by the 4.97 mark he logged in ’23 when dealing with that shoulder strain, but Cortes has been quite effective in three of the past four seasons.
In 2024, Cortes pitched a career-high 174 1/3 innings while sitting a career-best 92.1 mph with his four-seamer. The lefty fanned 22.8% of his opponents and notched a career-best 5.5% walk rate. If he can deliver anything close to that, the Brewers will surely be thrilled. Adding to the rotation was a significant need for the Brewers this offseason, but they’ve been operating with minimal resources as they try to find creative ways to do so.
Cortes will give Milwaukee an experienced arm to slot in behind Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff (returning from 2023 shoulder surgery), Aaron Civale and diamond-in-the-rough Tobias Myers. The Brewers also have lefties Aaron Ashby and DL Hall as rotation candidates, plus young righties Carlos Rodriguez, Logan Henderson and Chad Patrick on the 40-man roster but likely ticketed for Triple-A.
With a full, healthy season, there’s a chance Cortes is a more valuable pitcher on the whole than Williams. He’s been worth about 10 wins above replacement over the past four seasons, per both Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs (even when accounting for his poor showing in an injury-marred 2023 season). For the Yankees, however, he was no more than sixth or seventh on the depth chart — not with Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt and Marcus Stroman all on the roster.
For the Yankees, the deal is about not only beefing up their bullpen during the regular season but more specifically about bolstering their postseason roster, where Williams would be a focal piece and Cortes would be relegated to a lower-leverage relief role. In that sense, there are some parallels with the 2022 Jordan Montgomery/Harrison Bader swap: ship out a starter who’s not in the playoff rotation in exchange for someone who’ll have greater impact on postseason results. In the end, the trade involves both teams dealing from areas of strength.
The Milwaukee bullpen, after all, was one of the best in baseball last season — even in a year where Williams missed two-thirds of the year. The Brewers’ collective 3.11 bullpen ERA ranked second in the sport, and they were top-10 in terms of FIP (3.78, seventh), walk rate (8.3%, ninth) and K-BB% (15.5, tenth). With Williams out of the picture, they’ll likely look to Trevor Megill (2.72 ERA, 27.3 K%), Joel Payamps (3.05 ERA, 25.1 K%) and Bryan Hudson (1.73 ERA, 26.8 K%) for late-inning work. The previously mentioned Ashby (1.37 ERA, 36.8 K%, 19 1/3 innings) and Hall (3.00 ERA, 26.5 K%, 12 innings) also looked impressive when working as relievers.
The other major piece of the puzzle for the Brewers, of course, is the 24-year-old Durbin. Milwaukee lost Adames to free agency this offseason and has been in search of infield help but with scant money to spend. Durbin could slot in at second or third base, with one of Ortiz or Turang sliding over to shortstop. He could also simply give the Brewers a versatile utility option with intriguing contact skills and speed.
Durbin, who came to the Yankees from the Braves in exchange for Lucas Luetge, spent the bulk of the 2024 season in Triple-A Scranton Wilkes/Barre. He missed more than two months after being hit by a pitch on the wrist in May, but when he was healthy he was quite impressive. An infielder from the Altuve mold, Durbin is listed at just 5’6″ but nevertheless hit .287/.396/.471 (129 wRC+) with 10 homers and 31 stolen bases in 82 Triple-A games (375 plate appearances). He walked more than he struck out, drawing a free pass in 12.5% of his plate appearances versus a 9.9% strikeout rate.
With Durbin having missed a notable chunk of the season, the Yankees sent him to the Arizona Fall League to pick up some extra reps. He thrived there, hitting .312/.427/.548 with another five home runs and an AFL-record 29 stolen bases in 24 games (117 plate appearances). As he did in Triple-A, Durbin recorded more walks (17) than strikeouts (six).
Durbin has yet to take a single big league plate appearance, but the success he’s had in Triple-A and in the Arizona Fall League — coupled with the Brewers’ needs in the infield — give him a legitimate chance to break camp with the club. He might need to earn his way into a starting gig this spring, and his ultimate role will depend on any subsequent moves the Brewers make, but he’s very clearly an option to help the club in 2025. As it stands, he’s controllable through at least the 2030 season.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the Yankees and Brewers were finalizing a Williams trade. Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that the deal was in place. Robert Murray of FanSided first reported that Cortes was in the deal. Durbin’s inclusion was first reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reported that there was cash in the deal, and Nightengale chimed in with the exact amount.
That stinks
Has to be a Yankees’ team top ten prospect accompanying Nestor Cortes. Just has to be.
Agreed. Too many other suitors to be limited to just Cortes here.
how about one that’s not even in their top 30? because that’s what you got…
dray – Safe to say this is a great trade for the Yankees.
Let’s see if my team can grab a closer now, without giving up Anthony or Campbell.
(John Henry voice) What do you mean, we got Chapman!
@Dray
He’s only been in the Yanks system for 1 year. he slashed .275/.388/.451 with more walks than k’s 53/46, 10 hrs and 31 of 35 SB. He also had a great AZ fall league with a .976 OPS, 17/9 Bb/k and 29/30 SB. He’s absolutely going to be a top 100 guy next year. Atlanta drafted him in 2021 and the Yanks did a minor league trade in winter 2023.
MeowMeow (and I know what that is) – The dynamics between Chapman and Hendriks will be quite interesting!
Not sure what your parenthetical is getting at but Chapman and Hendricks could be a great setup core… Slaten too. The three of them could maybe handle innings 7-9 collectively but I would like a more closery-feeling closer for sure.
Why ? No disrespect, but are “our” Red Sox guaranteed to win enough games (or be close enough) to trade for a Top line closer and lose even more prospects (with the club control). If that was the plan they simply should have resigned on a 2 year deal the one they had.
Most pressing question is do they play the Burnes – Sasaki sweepstakes Full on or switch to a 4/5 SP
French: for me it’s more exhaustion from watching this year’s bullpen blow so many games. I don’t really know what’s really out there in terms of affordable (either $$ or prospect capital) closers, but the current group of late-inning candidates all have serious question marks to go with their high ceilings. But getting another SP essentially moves a Whitlock or a Criswell to the bullpen, which does make the relief picture look a little better to me. Agree that I really want to see them get Burnes still.
FPG – I think Hendricks will return to being a great closer this year.
Williams would have been nice to get, but if the Red Sox acquire another SP instead, then their bullpen is going to be filled with some decent arms and several long relief inning eaters
I love Liam, but he will be 36 coming off TJ. I would assume he would be solid, but probably no different than what Kenley gave you in 2024.
No reliever is worth either one.
Updated article shows Durbin is going to the Brewers. I’ll let Yankee fans advise on how good he can be but I recently read a comparison to Predroia. If true, a more fair trade given Williams is only a rental.
Too old a prospect to get top 100.
Meow – I totally agree, if the Red Sox truly intend to contend next year they need a dominant closer and neither Chapman nor Hendriks can be relied upon at this point.
What I was getting at is I think there’s a decent possibility Liam (who is known to be quite vocal) could end up being unhappy if he’s not the closer, especially if he pitches well in ST, and double especially if management promised him the closer job when they signed him.
They are both former closers with lots of closing experience, and both are on one-year contracts. They know closers get paid a bit more than setup guys.
French – If the Sox truly intend to contend next year, which is what they’ve said now (and I know that doesn’t mean squat), then they absolutely need a legit closer. Chapman replaces Booser/Joely, Hendriks replaces Martin, but they need to replace Kenley with a stud.
I’d love for them to sign Tanner Scott, and they certainly have the payroll space to do so, but if not they would likely need to trade for a legit closer. Helsley is looking like he won’t be traded before the trade deadline.
Of course they could always go with a closer by committee, but that didn’t work out too well last time.
Money is not a factor for Sasaki, but sure they will try to sign him. I think they keep around Yoshida for that exact purpose, trying to sign Sasaki.
I don’t believe the Sox will outbid others for Burnes, but I wouldn’t rule it entirely out. Time will tell.
Google “Cashman on Durbin”. You will find articles quoting the Yankees GM saying that Durbin was the likely OD 2B.
Meow – Right you are about this year’s bullpen, it was nightmarish especially in the second half. Cora’s bullpen management pretty much requires every reliever is solid because he loves to use lots of relievers in a game for matchups.
High – I hope you’re right about Liam, not just for the team’s sake but it would be a fantastic comeback story for him personally.
It won’t be easy though. He’s basically been out of baseball for 2 years now, and with everything his body has gone through over the years it won’t be easy to fully recover at his age. Time will tell.
Yankee – I would be very, very happy if Liam provided what Kenley did. I think that’s a big ask though.
Durbin stats are amazing. Analytics tell a different story though. I know most you guys still love era and average. I get it. How about common sense. Cashman has been employed how long? If this Durbin was so good why trade for Jazz? Why wasn’t he even called up for utility? Why would you trade 6 or 7 years of him for 1 year? Cashman could be wrong but it doesn’t happen often. He knows his system.
I kind of thought Durbin might be the starting 2b for the Yanks next season. The kid is good.
@Dream; AA knows his system well too. He dealt Durbin to the Yanks in 2022 for Lucas Leutge. Terrible deal for the Braves as Leutge was awful before finally being released. Shows that AA saw no future for Durbin w/the Braves.
@Yanks
It’s not just his batting average. It’s his high walk rate, low k rate, elite be stealing and ability to stick at 2b
He also knew Mike Kings and Thorpe’s annuity but traded them too. I get it. You have to give to get but I think Cortez for Williams and a lower prospect was fair. Cortez pitched 175 innings of sub 4 era/fip. That’s extremely valuable considering what lesser pitchers are getting in FA. If there’s not a corresponding move for a 3b or 2b then I have to wonder.
PS: Jazz was moved to 3b from day 1. Remember, they had Torres starting at 2b when they acquired Jazz so they’re was no reason to call up Durbin last year.
@Knicks – More than one year with the Yankees. He wasn’t on the Top 30 at MLB but that list hasn’t been updated. Have to think he was a Top 30 on the 2025 list.
@Fernando
Two years. Traded from Atl. Combined 79 walks vs. 58 ks and 69 sb vs. 12 cs. obp near .400. Time will tell but if love to see him hitting 2nd behind Jazz and ahead of Judge.
I hope torres is not coming back now. Please no no no.
Calm down. Torres is not coming back.
I’m not sure I like this for the Yankees. Cortes is a solid pitcher, not great, but good. I know they were shopping him but closers should be acquired cheaply.
Necessary move for Yankees with the heavy loss of bullpen depth this winter.
This should mean Tucker the Cubs to follow. The NYY farm system is already mid.
Cortez isn’t a prospect and they did the right thing by selling high on Durbin. Where this will affect the Yankees on a Tucker trade is starting pitching. They’re less likely to trade Gil now.
@Joe
Why do you think it’s a good idea to trade Durbin? Why “sell high”? He might be the real deal. To me this is a drastic overpay and I’m hoping more is coming the Yanks way. Why trade 1 year of a good SP for 1 year of a reliever AND throw in one of your best prospects who Cashman mentioned had a chance to win the starting job at 2b in spring training? They’re must be another move coming because we still have a gaping hole at 2b.
I’m assuming there’s a deal coming for a 3b? Maybe Bregman or maybe Arraez and they move Jazz to 2b? Otherwise, I can’t see them moving Durbin. Still an overpay.
I will never understand why New York fans vastly overinflated the abilities of all their prospects. Durbin is a 5’6″ 25 year old who can hit but not for any power and is limited to 2B defensively. Every organization has one of those. Most are better than he is.
The Yankees have been hyping Durbin simply to trade him. Low exit velocity and hard hit rate. Mediocre defender. Already 25. He’s a major leaguer, but more a bench piece.
@knickscavs have you not been paying attention to the Yanks for the past decade? The only position player prospect who has really panned out was Judge. This was a fleece. Durbin will most likely end up being a utility guy
It’s actually Cashman who hypes them up and the fans buy it. Jesus Montero being the most egregious example of all time. Generating those narratives to his advantage is probably the one thing Cashman is still good at.
I suppose we could count Wells too (too early to call), but everyone else either had only a little success or underperformed
KnicksFan –
Why sell high on a 5’6 prospect who has never played in the majors for arguably a top 3 lights out reliever after what happened with Holmes? I think the priorities make sense.
Prospects are just prospects everyone. You will take proven talent over assumed talent any day.
@Super
Who’s “badly over inflating ” anyone?. His stats speak for itself. You think the Brewers just view him the way you do nectar they just traded their all start closer for him and a guy that’s also a FA next year.
How many guys the Brewers have in their organization jag his hit tool, SB ability and walk rate at AA/AAA last year?
The ankles are getting a third baseman… need defensive star with Fried being a ground ball pitcher and Chizolm ain’t it
@lord
He has just drafted in 2022 or of college. It’s not like he’s being lingering in the farm for 8 years. They traded for him from Atlanta last year.
@Kev
Torres, Austin Wells, Kyle Higgy, Volpe, Gary Sanchez, and Dominguez and Rice knocking on the door.
Knicksfan one of Cashman’s biggest problems has been to not recognize the right time to move a player. He had chances to trade Frazier, Sanchez and several others but did a poor job of evaluating them and thinking they were going to be better than they actually were. Durbin had an excellent AFL but he’s undersized and getting older. Cashman finally did the right thing this time.
@Lil
so Cashman writes the prospect rankings? I bet Durbin will be listed as a top 75 prospect in 2025.
Look, I’m but her to defend our prospect but to think a GM can influence outside “experts” to value their prospects is preposterous. This isn’t me OFFERING a trade proposal that YOU think is absurd. The deal is DONE and the Brewers WANTED Durbin. So I’m OBVIOUSLY not the only one that things he might be legit.
Durbin played 2B, SS, 3B, LF, & CF last season. He hit 10 HR for the AAA RailRiders in 310 AB this year for a .471 slg and added 5 more HR in the Arizona Fall League. He is not bereft of power. Height has little to do with being a good baseball player. Altuve might be 5’4″ with his cleats on.
Just a few days ago Cashman said he was the favorite to win the starting 2B job in 2025 with the Yankees so he is a good player.
Not sure what you are talking about.
@KnicksFanCavsFan
Durbin is 5’6″ and doesn’t hit the ball hard with poor exit velo in AAA. I see him more as a young IKF. I never bought Cashman’s spiel about him with a chance to win the 2B job. Same goes for JDom which is why he upped Grisham so quickly. He’ll probably start the year in AAA.
@Bochy
Because Cortez is a SP that threw 175 IP with a 3.77/3.88 ERA/FIP in a market emerge pitchers like that are getting paid? Maybe because we currently still have a gaping holes at either 2b or 3b depending on where they play Jazz? From an organizational standpoint, I don’t like the inclusion of Durbin UNLESS that’s a corresponding move pending to address the situation like perhaps, signing Bregman or trading for Arraez?
Cortes is not a prospect. He is a middle of the rotation starter. Durbin was slotted to be Yankees OD starter at 2B next season according to their GM.
Call me crazy, Chisolm is nowhere near Soto, but having him on the roster softens the blow of losing him. Jazz’s age, athleticism, his speed and the fact that he bats lefthanded means he can impact the game just as much as Soto. If Jazz can make up 1/2 the difference with batting average against LHPs better than his career norms, the Yankees will be in great shape, especially when they face division oppenents, such as Boston and Tampa Bay. Will Jazz leadoff? I would bat him right in front of Judge in order to get him more pitches to hit. Jazz has the power to take advantage of Yankee Stadium’s leftfield shallow porch.
@Lil
So Cashman influences scouts, GMs and writers to inflate their opinions? Reasons, I ask is because every publication, knowing he likely would move from C, had him ranked as a top 10 prospect and every single GM demanded him in every trade scenario from trying to acquire Cliff Lee, Roy Holiday, etc. Yall need to stop. Any GM or writer influenced by what Cashman days about his own prospect needs to be fired.
@gc
Jazz need a full offse to feel comfortable by he had a positive dWar rating at the position.
Joe, Cashman said Durbin was your starting 2B next season. Height doesn’t matter at all in baseball and he’s in his 4th year out of college at 25, not 35.
Cashman got his closer who is a free agent after this year. Now he will go sign a 3B like Bregman and move Chisholm to 2B.
@Joe
Newsflash, everyone gets older. However, any team should only be concerned with the next six years. Durbin might turn out to be nothing special but right now, he’s only 25, has shown good bat to ball skills, elite awareness of the strike zone and ability to take a walk, and elite SB potential. He’s not a guy lingering in the minors for 7 years. He was drafted out of college by Atlanta in 2021 which means he’s been in the minors for 3 years. I don’t get the “undersized”. He’s barrel chested and string from what I’ve heard. Newsflash Pedro’s, Dominguez and Altuve are also short guys. He yall do you have to be to play 2b anyway? If he debuts in 2025 then you have him from age 25 to 30. That’s all anyone should be concerned with.
What Cashman and the Yankees are good at is not exposing prospects at the big league level. This isn’t 1973. Prospects are evaluated, ranked, and graded by outside independent agencies using advanced metrics. In addition, every team has their own scouts that are evaluating their own players and every other team’s players. There is no hype man talking the other teams into over valuing Yankee prospects like a mall kiosk cell phone salesman. That is a tired, lazy narrative.
Superstar – all teams vastly overinflated the abilities of prospects, Yankees fans just see more top prospects traded. And they generally grade out well over time.
I do agree though, the sureness of a professional grade reliever is better than the “possibility” in years to come.
@baseballisthebest – was he? Pretty sure Oswald or Oswaldo would get that call before Durbin.
I’m not sure which fans are inflating prospects, but the Yankees have four guys in their minor league system better than Durbin. For crying out loud, Oswaldo Cabrera is better than Durbin.
Knicksfan when someone says a prospect is old it means that he isn’t likely to be good, not that age has caught up to him. He’s spent awhile in the minors and has not been ranked high at all. He had a decent year this past season and had a great AFL. That’s not a reason to be super excited.
Anthony Volpe won a gold glove even though he still has room to improve at the plate, he is not the worst short stop in the AL by a long shot.
If you guys are impressed with Durbins stats take a look at Diego Castillo. Then, make sure you are sitting down, have 911 dialed ready to call just in case, and take a look at Hoy Park. Too bad Milwaukee wasn’t trading then. Yankees could have got Williams and Burnes for Park.
I remember when the Yankees didn’t call up Park when there was a need and fans lost their minds.
@lark
not sure how you can say that. He hasn’t displayed the speed, bat to ball or walk rate in the minors that Durbin has shown the last two years.
Kept starting Odor! Durbin is same thing. Never got the call up. Traded for Jazz. No one is perfect but Yankees got a heck of a analytics team. I think fans need to have more trust in Cashman. He might do some head scratching spending on free agents but knows his prospects pretty well.
@Joe
No when they say they’re old they mean he’s old for the minors and that they’re playing against younger kids who aren’t as developed. In the case of Durbin he hasn’t “silent awhile” in the minors. He was drafted in 2031 by the Braves and the Yanks acquired him in 2023. We have go to look past prospect lists. What prospect lists did Tons of prospects have become good major leaguers without being on a list although I bet he’ll debuted on the top 75 this year. He’s had a great 2023-2024 in non power categories.
Players that walk more than they strike out are rare. Few organizations have them. Of those that do, few are able to turn that walk into a double at the success rate Durbin has. He looks like a true leadoff hitter! Now that’s rare!!!
Another guy who doesn’t hit the ball hard is Luis Arraez. All he does is win batting titles.
I didn’t see the Durbin Luis Arraez comps. I’m sure Arraez is getting ready to turn over his batting titles now!
I say that because Cabrera spent the last two seasons on the Yankees roster, and Durbin put up his numbers in Scranton.
Keep dreaming about Tucker. Ain’t happening. All hype!!
Making Jones likely the centre of an Astros pitch now… better to focus on the Cubs IMO
Joe says: Not an issue. Tucker is being traded to the Cubs.
Bregman next. Jazz to 2B. Profar to LF. Walker 1B or Bellinger. Yankees can’t trade Gil now for Tucker
Skip Bregman and Profar. Keep Jazz at 3rd, fill 2nd internally and get Bellinger and Walker. YS will ruin Bregman’s already fading power and he’s probably getting 6-7 years.
Jerseyjohn, the Yankees just traded the guy their GM said would start at 2B next season. More moves are coming.
Baseballis: Agreed. But hopefully they’re not moves that saddle us with shot players (Arendo) or guys not Ideally suited for the stadium who will command 7+ year deals.
@mlb
Not for nothin’…I just got a chubby. You literally just named my wish list with Belli over Walker tho. Another option would be if the Yanks traded for Arraez to play 2b and keep Jazz at 3b.
Jazz
Arraez
Judge
In that lineup Jazz should be at 2b or 3b every time Judge comes to bat. They should score at least 1 run every time Jazz gets on base with less that 2 outs.
Gil still on the table, Cashman wheeling and dealing!
The Astros didn’t want Cortes or Durbin. They want Gil. Which probably means Tucker to Cubs and Bellinger to Yankees.
Damn… Nice!
Nestor cortes is part of the return hahaha
Shocked they landed a top closer for a guy they’ve been begging to unload for about a year now! Great trade by Cashman but I’ll admit I know nothing about this prospect.
Don’t need to know anything about him. They had him last year and he was mlb ready and they never called him. Didn’t want to destroy his value. Traded for Jazz instead. Gave 7 years of him for 1 year. Cashman thinks absolutely nothing of him.
@Your
They had Torres at 2b and Durbin was just getting it going at AAA. Plus Hazz is a good ball player that they got for very little and also play the OF so he wasn’t blocking anyone.
When are the Mets gonna sign a good pitcher? We need at least four.
I don’t think they will. Trade for one, yes, but sign someone like Burns I don’t think so. Stearns seems to shy away from long term pitcher contracts via free agency, and rightfully so. If he can get another Manaea and Severino then he’d be fine with it while he builds the offense that takes the field everyday. Crochett is gone, but I’m sure the asking price was too steep for a TJS candidate. I wouldn’t be surprised if he does something with the Mariners, Marlins, or even the Royals.
Already signed 2. Holmes Montas. Lots of 10 to 20 million guys still out there they can sign. They are set. Stearns with unlimited resources, no need to worry.
Didn’t he say GOOD pitchers? If they sign Burnes and deal for Castillo, you might have something.
The Mets literally sold 2 minor league teams to pay 1 dude. The pitchers can wait.
@von
to be honest think they probably sold a major league team or two for that 1 dude 🙂
@Von: You don’t really believe that, do you? Diamond has been overpaying to buy up MiLB teams for a while now and you can now add the Mets to the list. Braves sold their teams for almost $50 million three years ago. It’s just a good business move as minor league teams do not make a lot of money.
Haha. No I’m making a joke about the ridiculousness of that contract. And the idea that an impatient Mets fan is complaining about not making moves when they made the biggest splash of the offseason. All in good fun.
@von
completely understand hence the smiley face. but even his annual salary
i think is actually higher than the A’s and Marlins payrolls combined last year which is kinda sad at the same time.
They didn’t sell the teams to pay Soto. They sold the teams because DH is a professional organization that runs minor league teams right. This will be better for baseball development in the Mets system.
It’s a joke.
The price of both teams wouldn’t pay 1 year of Soto’s salary.
Soto will pitch !!
Just when we thought the Brewers were going to hang onto Williams until the trade deadline.
I dont really know where people got that idea to be honest. As soon as the Brewers (rightly) saved a few million declining his option I was certain they were going to deal him before arbitration hearings.
Here is where.
“With this much interest in the closer, there is a sense that the Brewers might wait until later in the offseason to deal Williams (if at all), since they could land a bigger return once the free agent relief market clears out.”
Nasty Nestor’s final moments with the Yankees are not enviable… LOL
Nor was Devin Williams’ for the Brewers…
Fresh start for both pitchers on teams that are division champions, a win win for Williams and Cortes.
Yessssssss!
Wow I wanted Cortes to the Astros :/
You snooze you lose!
I’m sure the Brewers would entertain offers.
W for Cashman if its mid talent + Cortes going back
I’m still mad about that grand slam so not dissapointed to see him leave but I wish him the best. He had a few solid years was was basically acquired for nothing.
I’m still happy about that grand slam, so that evens it out.
And NYY choose the contract of Devin Williams from AAAA Milwaukee. MLB structure is a joke.
They gave up a solid starter Plus at least one prospect for him. This seems like a reasonable deal for both teams that are trying to win in 2025.
The Milwaukee pitching machine will probably have Nestor being a #2 plus they get Durbin for one year of Williams. I prefer Milwaukee’s side of this.
I guess you haven’t seen Nestor pitch recently. He was really good several years ago. Not so much since then.
ctguy,
You mean the guy who had a 3.77 ERA last year?
Yes, the same one that gave up the grand slam to Freeman in the WS
ctguy,
Would you like to be judged based on your worst day at work?
Also, Freeman was absolutely on fire in the World Series.
Traded for a guy that gave up a 9th inning, game losing homerun in the playoffs in his last appearance.
Devin Williams is one of the best closers in the game…
he’s only under contract for 2025.
So is Cortes!
Like the Yankees aren’t extending him before spring training.. lol
And they gave up two years of a mid-rotation starter and a viable major league IF for one year of a closer. Cortes became “expendable” with the Fried signing but they still need to address multiple position spots and conceivably don’t have a ton of money left to work with given the way they’ve operated in recent years.
One year of Cortes.
My mistake then. That does change my opinion a bit as for liking the Brewers return, but I still don’t love it for the Yankees.
If he were a viable major league infielder the Yankees could’ve kept him as they need multiple infielders
Cashman said he was the odds on favorite to be the OD starter at 2B for the Yankees just 3 days ago. He is a viable major league infielder and will likely start for the Brewers.
ohyea,
You have to trade talent to get talent. There’s plenty of time and opportunity to get someone else to take his spot on the roster.
I wonder if that public statement by Cashman wasn’t for the Brewer’s benefit? I don’t think the Yankees changed their mind about Durbin in 72 hours.
AAAA Milwaukee has a better record than the NYY over the past 5 years.
Probably because they don’t play in the AL east. Going back 5 years is fun because the unbalanced schedule skews numbers like that. I will use this stat the next time a small market billionaire cries about being too poor to compete!
Brewers are gonna turn Cortes into a legit #2 again. Great trade for both teams imo.
I foresee Cortes’s goofy arm angles baffling the Pirates
Brewers looooooove a goofy arm angle or two
I can definitely see Nestor thriving in that division. Yankees got a great addition who is gonna be very effective with Weaver. We’ll see if NY brings back Kahnle.
One 100 percent. This is the Brewers bread and butter.
Durbin plays like a Brewer, speed, defense, and contract!
Brewers always seem to survive these things.
Brewers always do well with these trades it seems. Hader and now Williams. They’re going to be alright as usual.
Left handed Tanner Scott would’ve been a better fit. They have no lefties in their bullpen. But hard to argue with the acquisition of an elite closer like Williams.
They still can sign Scott.
With the amount of bullpen arms they lost, this trade does not mean theyre done adding to the pen
This is why Milwaukee stays on top of the Central. They make moves like this while others sit on their hands.
And PIT and CIN never spend money, and the Cubs are … the Cubs, and the Cardinals are (finally) starting an overdue rebuild. But when STL is done, they’ll dominate again.
Terrible trade but they usually do well.
As a Red Sox fan, I am thankful that I will hear less about the dumb, and frankly illegal, windups that he was getting away with.
But good trade for the Yankees. They need that closer.
lol @ “illegal”
So he got called out for the illegal pump fake, which was lovely.
And here’s the official rule for the windup position:
The pitcher shall stand facing the batter, his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate and the other foot free. From this position any natural movement associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without interruption or alteration. He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot.
—
Most of the things that he does are not classified as “natural movements…”. If he wants to do that stuff, do it on every single delivery. No one is naturally delivering a pitch like that.
If you want to play semantics on “natural movements”… throwing a baseball in general and especially having any windup is an unnatural movement. Its why people blow their elbows doing it.
That said, people can “naturally” have funky windups or “naturally” like to switch it up every pitch and thats not illegal. You want to make quick pitches illegal too? How about when a pitcher goes from windup to the stretch? If he wanted to pitch from the stretch, do it on every single delivery not just when theres runners on.
All im getting is salt lmao
People naturally have funky windups. That they repeat time and time again. So that’s not a funky windups to them, that’s their natural windup.
This is not nestor’s natural delivery: giphy.com/gifs/yesnetwork-sport-baseball-mlb-dpvOa…
Does he do this the majority of the time when delivering a ball? Does anyone do that the majority of the time when delivering the ball? No.
Changig your arm slot, leg kick height, adding a pause, that’s all fine. Doing the salsa in the middle of your delivery isn’t.
Pitchers will consistently pitch with the same motion from the windup or the stretch, so that’s perfectly fine. They CONSISTENTLY do it. If he wants to do the salsa in the middle of his delivery, do it the majority of the time.
It really isn’t a complex thing to think about.
Picture it this way. If Nestor does these things with a runner on base, would it be considered a balk? The answer is clearly yes lol.
I honestly don’t care, doesn’t affect me at all, I just find it ridiculous.
Its really not complex to think about how its not illegal as simply no throwing motion is natural, much less a windup. I dont see the umps stopping him and saying his windup is illegal and I’d rely on their knowledge of the rules rather than a biased red sox fan wanting it to be illegal. If he was in Boston you’d have a whole different impression
Weird trade on the Brewers’ part, getting Cortes in return. Does he immediately go on the trading block due to the fact that he will be a free agent after the 2025 season (like Williams)?
Brewers need starting pitchers, and Cortes will cost about half what Williams does.
Cortes will cost about the same as Williams in arbitration but the Yankees are sending cash too.
No, neither Civale. Brewers only trade players they can get significant over-pays for.
Cortes and Durbin?
Good move for the Yankees. Has to be a high level prospect along with Nestor otherwise this is a steal for the Yankees.
Needed to edit this as it looks like Durbin is going to the Brewers. Whew, you have to give something to get something. But who is now playing second?
They’ll resign Torres…. lol in all honesty though I doubt it.
Yanks still have DJ, Vivas, Peraza as options.. Jazz can play 2nd or 3rd. Bregman is now a priority
Jazz at 2B
stove is warm and ready! what a trade
Dave Dombrowski approves of the trade. He prefers watching them than participating.
He has the GM cuck chair in the corner
I remember the days when for a while this news would have been followed quickly by the Red Sox signing Scott. The Yankees signing Walker, with the Red Sox getting Bregman after trading their DH and moving Devers there. The Yankees trading for Bellinger, and the Sox signing a starter, and on and on.
When both teams are trying to win it is so much more fun. As always, every year, good one Yankees.
Will be hard to pass the Dodgers filter !!
Bad deal. Durban is going to be a terrific everyday player and Williams is the next Yankee “one and done.”
Durbin is a total unknown. Williams is arguably the best closer in baseball. Certainly top 3.
I’m not so sure, his pitch is called the air bender it’s never in the strike zone, team are sitting on his pitches more than ever.
1.25 ERA last year. Sitting on his pitches didn’t work.
Yep, That’s what knocked them out of the playoffs last year.
Williams created bigger jams than he was brought in to get out of. Can’t get away with that forever.
I think the Yankees were pumping him to dump him.
@lord
Durbin’s numbers speak for itself.
All teams scout these prospects. I don’t think they go in asking who do you got that’s good and just say okay. They know what they’re getting. They just hope it transfers to the next level.
I don’t think they “pump” the numbers. Everyone sees the same numbers.
Freddy hit Nestor right out of the Yankees organization.
LOL
This looks like a good deal for both teams. The Yankees get a great closer and the Brewers get a competent #3 starter. It also tells you they believe in Gil being the real deal.
Eh, whether they believe Gil is the real deal or not, Cortes was the odd man out with the Fried signing
Good deal for the yanks
Holy crap! What a steal!!! Dang!!! Go Yankees!!!
I know relievers don’t get a ton in trade, but feels like the Brewers could’ve gotten more than a 4/5 starter and utility prospect for Williams, no?
LOLZ @ “utility prospect”
Do your homework.
@lucas
Cabrera and Peraza are “utility prospects”. Durbin is a legit 2b with a great hit/ walk tool and his glove can play at the position. I view him as a Dustin Pedroia/Knoblauch/Einstein type. He would’ve been a fan favorite in the Bronx had he made it. Sucks but I did want Williams.
You’re overrating Durbin. He’ll be 25, is not a particularly good fielder, and the underlying hitting stats aren’t strong. He has a place but he’s not in the Pedroia/Knoblauch class. He is fast.
Not even a top 100 prospect
4/5 starters get back a ton in trade themselves. Wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the Brewers flip Cortes to a pitching desperate team at the deadline. Meanwhile filling in behind him, and Williams, with their usual successful reclamation project or two.
I LOVE Durbin and think he’s going to be a solid every day player. Wanted him to start at 2B this year!! That being said, you have to give to get and Williams is one of the best RP’s in MLB.
I am concerned that both Fried and Williams both get nuked in the playoffs.
Plan on it with Williams. You can set your clock to it.
Yikes! I pray this doesn’t portend signing Bregmam or trading for Arendo. Keep Jazz there and handle 2nd internally. Get Bellinger while you’re at it for Lf and sign Walker.
You forgot Corbin Burns, Blake Snell, Anthony Santander, Teoscar Hernandez and Tanner Scott. Must be nice being a Yankee fan.
The Mets really couldn’t match this trade?
The Mets don’t have an extra starter to give away.
@VonPurpleHayes Megill, Blackburn, Butto, Hamel
Why would they give any of those guys away when they currently need them more than they need Williams?
One less contender, hopefully, for Hoffman. I’d love the Mets to get him
I thought the NYMs had a closer? What happened to Diaz?
Exactly. Mets don’t need Williams at all.
I’m assuming poster thought Devin would be willing to go into a setup role the way he did for Hader.
In either case, Mets need a lefty in the pen desperately. Scott, I’m assuming, wants to close though. If they can’t get a quality lefty (minter maybe) try to sign Hoffman. I’m not sure how much validity there is to Hoffman trying to become a starter, but if not, that’s a nice dominant set up guy
Hoffman expressed a desire to close. In his words “he wants to get that last out,” but I think he’d be open to whatever role he’s given.
Sterns knows all about Williams….
win-win trade
i guess the brewers really like durbin
Durbin was a breakout speedster. I thought Cashman wanted to get more athletic? I was reading the tea leaves as Durbin at 2nd next year.
They could have just signed Scott. More moves to come maybe?
I think they should sign Hyeseong Kim for 2B though.
That’s true. Kim has been mentioned as a possible target.
Cashman said he wanted to address the defense and get more athletic, so HK fits that mold.
Still, Durbin was my favorite prospect as far as converting hype to ML production and I thought his great contact skills and versatility would be valued greater by the front office.
He would be a great fit. Elite defense. Bring some much needed speed to their station-to-station lineup. Good bat-to-ball skills and on base numbers. Those tend to translate better from overseas than power numbers do.
@wagner. Hyeseong kim. Is pretty similar to durbin. Just surprised another team couldn’t do a better offer for Williams.
That the point of signing him. Signing Kim allows you to not miss trading Durbin. Kim is left-handed which will bring out more power potential for him in Yankee stadium than you would see with Durbin.
Whoa…sold high on Durbin a little bit. Williams is very extendable too. Good trade.
Durbin is a great fit in Milwaukee. Murph is a great manager for scrappy players like him, often seems to get the very best out of them. I wonder how the infield will line up with Ortiz, Turang, and Durbin?
I really doubt they’ll move Turang to 2nd, especially since he is Platinum glove potential every year. Ortiz is the logical SS. Durbin being the 3B option along with Tyler Black I guess at this point.
Seems most likely. That’s going to be an elite infield defense.
Honestly fair trade for both sides. Brewers need innings and Cortes is a solid bulk starter (worth about 3 WAR). On the flip side, the Yankees need elite per inning production and get that in Williams.
With Durbin being included, I think that means Yanks are close to signing Bregman. Jazz moves to 2B and Bregman obviously plays 3B
Then its a matter of whether or not they’ll pull the trigger on dealing for one of Tucker or Bellinger and/or Signing one of Walker or Alonso (although Alonso I think is less likely).
I thought they were out on Bregman?
Interesting take. Jazz had his first healthy season last year, so they need some form of infield depth regardless of who they put at 2nd.
Bregman would be the expensive end of those waters, but his swing is tailored for Fenway, not the 385 lfc power alley of YSIII. I do like the above average glove and competitive nature of AB though.
Love Devin, but cannot honestly grade this move until the whole off-season picture is complete.
I wonder if there is still some belief in Peraza to be a reserve infielder if Jazz went down?
This closer = gives up 3 run 9th inning HR in clinching playoff game at home to lose the series.
A ‘Star’ – don’t think so.
holy reach
Rivera literally blew a World Series. I guess he wasn’t a star.
And two playoff games IN A ROW in 2004.
A lot of star closers have had big blown saves in the postseason. It’s the nature of small sample sizes. A single pitch doesn’t make Williams not a star closer. Ridiculous.
@TheMcN
Williams has arguably the most unhittable single pitch on the planet.
But yeah, not at all a star…..
Mariano Rivera HOF, VS Luis González, what ?
It happens. You can’t judge it all on one game. He was one of the best all season.
I like the deal for the Yanks.
Cashman hates prospects lol
@Baseball
Ummm… Judge, Volpe, Wells, Gil, Cortez, Schmidt, Cabrera and Dominguez??? If anything I think he loves prospects because it’s the one place he can hang his bat on since spending money isn’t really a skill.
No, he just likes elite major leaguers better.
Yanks are in beast mode! Let Cashman cook!
Yankee fans are already clearing out a space monument park and planning to retire his number. Clowns.
Damn why you so angry? It’s beautiful outside and the birds are chirping..
I like this trade on both ends. Makes sense for both teams
Yanks always seem to never give up good players.
OMG. Should have traded Pereza instead
Kind of a bad return for the brewers. 5 starter and a 5’5 infielder with 0 pop lol
#3 lefty starter. Ignore 2023 when he was injured.
Durbin is exactly the kind of player that Pat Murphy does well with, even going back to his days at ASU. Good return for Milwuaukee.
Not bad for both sides.
Wow, a rare Cashman W
Great trade for the Yanks
I feel like brewers could have gotten alot more than this for devin williams. It cant be that cortes & durbin is the best offer they received
I’m guessing they got what they could under the circumstances. Why would they settle for a lesser option? One year of team control and less than a year removed from back surgery. It’s probably all they could have realistically hoped for.
Is that the same Devin Williams that gives up series clinching homers to the Mets?
Sht happens. He’s still one of the best closers.
OMG THAT’S AWESOME!
I thank Nestor for some fun years, but that final pitch was destined to be his last. Not his fault, but still.
As for Durbin, all repost have us in the market for another IF so I didn’t think he’d have much of a chance.
Great use of an excess SP and prospect.
I LOVE DEVIN WILLIAMS! Welcome to one of the best closers in baseball!!! Here are the keys to the 9th!
Dude, this is fantastic! Get one of Belli or Tucker (hopefully Tucker, but I doubt it), and Walker and this is an A++ offseason, imho, for Cashman. I didn’t think this was possible to accomplish with this FO outside of Soto (who’s obviously the best player available this offseason), but he’s doing it!
This is how to build a good roster! Go YANKEES!
High five!
Congrats guys! Boone will have an actual closer next year! Win-win for both teams!
Now how about I interest you in Bellinger lol
His value has dropped because of Tucker, so yes absolutely, let’s get that done.
Did you happen to see Williams last pitch? Williams has been awful in the playoffs
Don’t care, he’s one of the best. Period. For what we gave up, we take our chance and let it play out. That’s an incredible deal.
@mad – if Brad f’n Lidge could eventually pull it together in the playoffs to win a ring then so can Williams.
F—k yeah!! So excited for that changeup. A few years ago, our staff as a whole wasn’t throwing nearly enough changeups and getting shellacked by bums due to the resultant predictability. Someone in the org evidently realized this bc it’s since been placed back into heavier rotation, AND now the owner of the best change in the game will be closing out games for the squad! Somewhere in Alpine, Sabathia is smiling.
And I’ve always loved Williams too. I’m pumped!!
Woot! LFG!
What a steal for the yanks! One of the best relievers in the game for a 14th rounder and one year of a mid starting pitcher. Durbin has put up some impressive numbers in the minors but dang
I really liked the way durbin fit into this lineup. Meh.
Me too! He was more of what the lineup needs, but I am STOKED for Williams!
Durbin looks like a decent get for MIL. I love guys who walk more than they strike out.
No one could beat that? Are the Brewers run by Ross Atkins?
Astros be fleeced for Ticker by Yanks
Sad to see Nasty Nestor go. Thanks for always being awesome! Losing Durbin hurts but nobody knows if he can hit in the MLB.
Welcome to the Yankees, Devin!
Let’s hope Cashman can change his stripes and lock him up before he hits the open market.
Time to use that money planned for Soto and get it done with Williams! Congrats on getting a legitimate closer!
Nestor also a rental. Doesn’t this defeat the purpose of trading Williams?
Yankees should stay away from Bregman. Keep Jazz at 3B, sign Hyeseong Kim for 2B, and add pop in the form of a corner OF or 1B. Santander, Teoscar, or Bellinger are all varying degrees of being a good fit.
Devin Williams is just a one year rental. I am not sure what people expect teams to give up. I would imagine that Brewers accepting this offer was the best one they got and the Yankees are in world series or bust mode so they were bound to offer the most. Anyway I am a Reds fan and I am thrilled he is out of the NL Central.
Now we gotta watch Cortes and his goofy windups
Tell that the Astros, who are going to get a king’s ransom for 1 year of Tucker.
Tucker is like Soto lite though. Soto the better hitter, Tucker a better runner and fielder. The bat worth more tho and Soto a couple years younger not coming off a year he got hurt. So a little less than last years package.
Seems like a steal for the Yanks
Very good trade for the Yankees.
Would be nice if they also add a lefty rp. Scott is probably too expensive.
something i respect about the yankees organization: no leaks. it’s fun when a trade comes out of nowhere
I love baseball. I’ve been a fan for 30+ years but having kids this proves to me how disconnected I am from the sport. I’ve never never heard of this guy in my life and he seems great
The Yankees should still trade Gil if they can get Kyle Tucker. Gil had a good 2/3rds of a season but no one knows what to expect long term. I remember when the Mariners traded Michael Pineda to the Yankees after his amazing rookie season. Pineda was never more than a serviceable starter for the rest of his career. If the Yankees can get a top 10 everyday player in MLB for a still somewhat unproven starter they should do it. They can always sign another starter such as Flaherty to sit behind Cole and Fried.
No friggin way!!!
Gil is an untouchable.
Dude, come on. Gil is no Michael Pineda. The only thing they have in common is that they both throw a baseball.
Are there really Yankees fans who want the Yankees to give Bregman a huge contract???
yankees are now less likely to land tucker and more likely to sign bregman. double yuck
I pray every day that they don’t sign Bregman!
There are probably better things in life to pray for lol
Maybe but I would still hate it
If they didn’t have judge I would say to rebuild. This Yankees roster is thinnn.
Yankees go sign Bueler and get Tucker. He’s the 5 tool guy Yankees desperately needs. Gil is expendable. Don’t let Gil be the reason, no Tucker. Michael King was eventually traded for Soto. The time is now for Judge and Cole.
I assume the “cash considerations” are large, basically most of Cortez’ salary. That’s the only way this makes sense for the Brewers.
NICE!!!!
That’s a good trade for both teams.
Gives the Brewers a middle of the rotation starter for a year who is much less expensive than free agents and a versatile infielder who can really hit even if he has little power. A perfect utility player.
The Yankees get a closer for a year.
Good trade but i don’t think he will pitch the same once the Yankees force him to cut his beard.
This reveals another of Baltimore’s problems; in addition to needing someone like Williams, passing on him allows someone else to get him.
Kudos to the Evil Empire.
Fwiw durbin did really stand out in the afl this fall
Cashman always seems to make the trade nobody’s talking about, good for both teams. Nasty and Caleb fit the Brewers mold and the Yanks get their closer!
LoL. The Mets could have had a Cheaper Williams instead of Holmes. Good luck and Good Riddance in Queens Holmes.
Missing Soto already, I see.
Cashman is great in praising a prospect/player only to trade him a couple of days later.
Can the Yanks please go back to Milwaukee and trade for 3b Ortiz? Get off the Tucker train and trade for James Wood instead. Much better flexibility to set us up to get a first baseman, another top bullpen arm( T Scott I’m looking at you), and some bench depth.
James Wood will be available in 2029.
Brewer season ticket holders must love this salary dump.
Its not a salary dump pretty sure they are gaining salary in this deal.
You all piping up with the “Yankees stole Devin Williams” take … It’s the reverse.
Starters are worth much more than relievers, and Cortes for all your hate of him was a rock solid mid-rotation starter last year. He took the ball 31 times, had good peripherals, and was worth 3.1 fWAR. Devin was worth less than 1. Both are free agents next off-season and the Yankees are paying part of Cortes’ salary AND sending a pretty good prospect.
Yankees needed a closer more than a mid-back rotation starter though. This trade makes sense for both teams. I just wonder what the Brewers will do with their pen now. Needs a few additions.
There’s literally 20 Cortes available. Just takes 10 to 25 million. NY has plenty of $. Only 1 Airbender. F fwar
There’s no advantage having something everyone else can have. You win having rare elite players.
WAR for relievers isn’t accurate. And Devin also happens to be an elite closer. Trade from strength to address a glaring weakness even if the chips aren’t even. It’s the cost of staying competitive.
When I saw this I assumed that Cortes must have had multiple arbitration years left. But, he’s also a free agent at the end of this year- you’d think they could have gotten more for one of the best closers in baseball.
Of course, if Durbin is even an average MLB infielder for the next three years, then the Brewers did fine.
Durbin was ULTRA IMPRESSIVE in the Arizona Fall League. He’s another smallish player with big tools. You’re going to love this “Altuve-lite” kid for the next half-dozen years.
Too bad the pitching isn’t ultra impressive in that league.
Happy to see fat little Nestor out of the AL East,pitched like Cy Young against the Orioles!
Brewers to Cashman “we like Durbin a lot“ Cashman “oh no we are very high on him he will be our 2B“ Brewers “but we want him, we will send you the contract, sign out or we’re out, you have 6 hours“ Cashman signs it in a heartbeat
Never thought to ask why didn’t you call him up last year?
I like the deal for the Brewers. Seems like the Yankees could have kept Durbin and just signed a closer.
Why don’t teams just give their best players to the Bankee$? Cortes isn’t reliable and Williams gives the Bankee$ 3 guys who might close for them next year, a lights out bullpen, along with a decent starting rotation. Hopefully injuries rear their ugly head, because this might be the evil empires year.
They don’t spend to win the WS. They spend just enough to make massive profits. They made way more that year than they spent and that’s their formula. They do enough to make the playoffs. They don’t care about the WS. It’s all about profits now.
Another Yankee hater heard from….guess you think the Dodgers walk on water too right with the moves they’ve made the last 2 years or so….
After the Bankee$ massive spending of the ‘90’s and ‘00’s that led to some titles, I think everyone is happy to see other teams get their fair share of trophy’s. I bet you root for the Lakers, Cowboys, and Criminal Tide as well. I’m just a bitter Detroit Tigers/Tampa Bay Rays fan who will never know an owner that spends and will thereby never see a title, so I hate.
Ok Karen
Isn’t life too short to be so full of hate and anger? The sun is shining it’s beautiful 🙂
Not if you’re a Rays fan. I’m entitled to want my favorite team to try to win a title. You’re right. Life is short, and I don’t think $tu is going to try to get one in my lifetime. He just cares about profit and probably couldn’t tell you who won the AL East last year.
Fair enough. At least you own it. I don’t think it’s impossible for the Tigers to win one, they had a good run this yr and are only gonna get better. I’m a Miami Dolphins fan, so I do understand the frustration of watching the same bad movie every year. But it’s good to try and take it in stride bc at the end of the day, none of these millionaires would lose sleep over us so why should we give them our energy, ya know?
I think this is fair both ways.
One can’t argue against getting a elite closer, but this is how payroll gets expensive. Soto is a great player, but in two years they replaced King and Cortes with Stroman and Fried. Soto made them better, and Williams will make them better, but they’ve added a decent chunk of salary over the past two years.
IRT Mil, assuming Megill replaces Williams, they will have three decent guys starting for a minimal amount of salary. This is how they stay competitive every year.
And there goes the organization’s lowest-cost and smartest potential replacement for Gleyber Torres. Now, watch the GM FOR LIFE bring in one of his “proven pros,” a 32-or older veteran infielder on the downside of his career a la Donaldson,
Don’t think so…just means they are putting Jazz at 2nd and probably going after Bregman or Arenado to play 3rd…..
Yankees minor league infield depth: George Lombard, Roderick Arias, Jorbit Vivas, Roc Riggio, and Oswald Peraza. I’m not sure any of these guys are ready to replace Torres, but they are all ready to replace Caleb Durbin.
Brewers were fleeced. Giving up a stud reliever for a 30 year old middling starter who like Williams has one year remaining on his contract, and a .269 slap hitter. Brewers should have gotten more or waited until the trade deadline to cash in.
They gave up something extra and average at best and filled a need with an elite player.
It’s a win.
Interesting thought. Stearns likes trades. Stearns was a brewer exec and likes their players. Cortes is a brewer ( yes just got there ). Mets have an abundance of cheap young middle infield prospects. Mets needs starters.
Cortes coming back to NY? I want an ace but i mean change of scenery for Baty for a potential high ceiling candidate on platform year with a low cost (relatively speaking of course) that can handle NY.
Yeah no. We can do better.
There are better starters still on the free agent market than Cortes. Why trade someone like Baty with some upside for a grade C pitcher?
And yet his career ERA in the postseason is 23.14.
What a terrible trade for the Brewers!
A journeyman lefty and utility bench player with no real future. Is this really the best deal for a top reliever?
The Brewers should fire their GM today.
The Yankees Off-season priority has been to fix the lineup. Don’t forget about that Cashman.
Flip side..what if the stress fractures in williams back hadnt cleared up with rest? Had he needed surgery they get nothing. Also im no doctor but do know back problems are tricky especially for a 30 year old pro athlete so i feel like there is risk in this for ny..you dont just have a back issue at 30 and it goes away forever..just my opinion
Nestor Cortes didn’t pitch in a game for 40 days before giving up a GS in extra innings of a WS game because his elbow was torn up. What is your opinion on a 30-year-old pitcher with an injured elbow. Does that just go away forever?
Lark. I never mentioned nestor was stating simple fact back problems tend to linger and the flip side him not getting a good return per the original comment is maybe the brewers gm did ok for his team..but perhaps you have an opinon on elbow issues you wish to share with everyone?
Not an opinion on elbows in general, but a fact about one elbow in particular. While I agree, there is risk in acquiring any player, you made it sound like all the risk was on one side. I was suggesting that there is at least equal risk with the 30-year-old pitchers with an injury history.
Nice work. Now send Stroman back to Cubs in a Belllinger deal!
Nice work so long as the back holds up
Goodbye Nasty Nestor. We will always have that extra innings WS grand slam. Boone liked that match up. I think we will like the Devin Williams match up a bit better.
So long as the back hold up
Nestor has a bad elbow, dawg. That is why he didn’t pitch until the 10th inning of a WS game. He missed 40 days with a bum elbow to end the season.
Again dawg…never mentioned nestor..unless has a back issue we arent aware of..pay attention
I’m paying close attention. You don’t want to talk about the injury history of Cortes in a comment section about a trade of Cortes for Williams. So long as every player on the Yankees backs holds up, this is a great trade. If their backs don’t hold up, then they will have sore backs. Thanks a lot for your contributions!
Lol no thank you!
Nestor is a solid mid-rotation arm. Williams is elite, but the prospect Durbin evens out the deal talent-wise. Spending big on starters, you need an elite closer to make the investment logical
I was definitely intrigued by Durbin but in the end a prospect is a prospect unless they are a cant-miss top-25 type so I like this deal for us.
Brewers get a solid return imo. Nestor is a good mid rotation guy if he stays healthy and adding Durbin is a nice get. Good trade overall.
Hope we can work on an extension with Williams and get some stability in the pen. I like that this allows Weaver to come in when needed instead of being locked into the 9th too.
Nestor Cortes will always be my favorite Dodger pitcher.
I hate the trade
They get just one year of Williams
This is not how you build a dynasty
I think the Yankees are likely to lock Williams up with an extension. They wouldn’t have bothered doing that with Cortes. So they are looking longer term here, not just next season, if I’m right about that.
Brewers either really like Durbib or are desperate for cash. I hope it’s the former and that they are correct.
No this is a fair deal. Actually favors the Brewers a bit imo but makes sense for both. Both guys are free agents next off-season. Cortes was worth 3 times what Williams was worth last year. Williams had a significant injury, whereas Cortes started 31 games and ended up with an fWAR over 3. AND the Brewers pulled a high level major league level infielder.
Yankees fans eating pretty good despite Soto loss
Hate y’all lol.
I think that Soto might be the one who lost the Yankees. So far the Mets have added Yankee cast off Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas. I hope that OMG guy can pitch!
A+ NY. Not as good as getting outbid on Soto but still amazing. This guy is so dominate and they got him for a #4 and a utility player they don’t think much of.
F for Milwaukee. I’m being the Grinch today. I could be nice and go D. Look at the prospects stats! Look what starting pitching is going for! Well those stats probably won’t transfer to MLB. And look what elite relievers go for. They could have got some real nice prospects. Just go out and spend 15 or 20 million and get the same or actually even better pitcher. Too expensive then go 10 million.
Also in the Yankees favor is the QO at the end of the year. Nestor not worth a qualifying offer, but Williams is.
Yes. I should have mentioned that. Excellent contribution my friend. They can grab a prospect with higher upside than Durbin. No grinch. This truly was a awful trade.
Cortes, 2024: 3.1 fWAR
Williams, 2024: 0.8 fWAR
Both have one year left. You got it backwards. Cortes started 31 times last year as a solid mid-rotation starter. Williams was hurt (again).
Cortes was/is also injured last year…and the year before. Mason Miller had a WAR of 2.3 so Cortes is better and has more value. The Yankees should have got Rooker and Miller for a player like Cortes.
Cashman doesn’t care about war. Williams might be the best reliever in baseball. For 10 to 25 million a year you can get another Cortes if you wanted. With Fried they done much better than that. Cashman isn’t trying to win war, he’s trying to win a championship.
Milwaukee could have just signed a Cortes. Traded Williams for a bat or prospect haul. Scarcity means valuable. Cortes just a guy. Williams rare.
I underestimated Joey Ortiz, so I will reserve judgement on Durdin. He could be Jose Altuve Jr
But man, I wish the Brewers could get a hold of some Power hitting prospects again for corner infield roles.
As an Orioles fan, I was sad to see Joey Ortiz go. Dude is a gamer, great glove, and very good AB’s. I bet he has a 30 HR season in Milwaukee.
I was really hoping that the Yankees were working on a Williams and Ortiz trade as he would be a great fit for third baseman for the Yankees. The only other 3b (ss) the Yankees should explore a trade for is close to untouchable in Tampa with J.Caminero but more of a pipe dream. Ortiz would have been more realistic. I really don’t want to see Arenado on the Yankees. Just painful to have another old and bloated contract. Please Cashman…NO. Much rather have Bregman over Arenado but really don’t want either.
This guy ain’t no Joey Ortiz.
@byronuberalles – They have power hitting prospects for corner infield roles – Brock Wilken, Luke Adams, and Blake Burke from the first round this last draft. Now if they make a difference in the bigs…remains to be seen
They’re all at least two years away and I may die anytime, lol
The Yankees basically paid the Brewers to take Cortes off their hands. Wonder how much it will cost them to move Stroman?
More like Yankees just go Williams for free.
Well, they did get an elite BP arm that fills a need on the roster as well. Maybe you didn’t see that Devin Williams is coming back in the trade. I hope they pay whatever it costs to get rid of Stroman. It seems as more FA SP sign, someone will get desperate. I would guess they have to pay at least half of his salary or take back another bad contract in order to move him, but that certainly has to be the plan.
There are teams that are starved for 150+- innings of a #4 level Starter.
FA #4’s are running $15 million or so.
Stroman is around that level as far as cost is concerned, and is under contract for 2 years.
Yes, it would be a salary dump for the Yankees, but Stroman still has pretty decent value for a team that needs Starting Pitching, and there is plenty of time to trade him.
Glad to see Nestor leave the AL East. Hated him on the bump…so vexing. Bag of tricks pitcher. (Hat tip…that stuff works though).
See yeah Nestor…won’t miss yeah in Baltimore.
Wow. You guys really dig deep. Sincere thanks. The Yankees almost always get what they want. Yet, we Red Sox sometimes prevail.
Great trade for the Yankees. Williams is electric in the 9th. They traded from surplus and got a real quality closer.
That’s a good trade for both teams. Yankees lost a lot of pieces of that pen including Holmes and when healthy Williams is one of the best closers in the game. Brewers may have gotten the better end of this over time if Durbin turns out to be a solid 2B or utility player in the majors.
I know Cashman said Durbin was going to be their starting 2B in 2025, but I think from seeing him play in the AFL the last 2 years that he is more of a utility player. He is a fast little sparkplug that can occasionally run into a pitch and drive it out of the park.
Durbin was properly hyped up in the last month and a half, and the Yankees traded him VERY well.
Cortes is a good SP, I like crafty lefties, but Caleb Durbin is what got the Brewers to bite, Cortes was the throwin.
VERY good trade for the Yankees imo.
A true Boss move?
Sign Jack Flaherty (no QO), have a front 4 of Cole, Fried, Rodon, Flaherty.
Then, Gil as headliner for a Controllable STUD!!!!! OF’er.
Marcus Stroman being moved next to a pitching starved team in exchange for Matt Blake Projects.
Clarke Schmidt as the #5.
A Rotation like this? Pure insanity.
If you are trying for a World Series, it is better to have something like 6 or 7 guys that can project as starting pitching in case of injuries…
ROFL.
The Dodgers needed like 12 no? HAHAH!!!
In all seriousness, The depth will come from Poteet, Brubacker, and the other AAA starters.
I doubt the Yankees go into the season with 6 bonafide Big League Starters, thus sending Stroman or Schmidt to the Pen as a Long Man.
They have very good depth at SP, they should capitalize on it.
They just did with Cortes…They should keep Gil. He is still pre-arb and they are going to need him…Can’t count on guys that haven’t pitched a full MLB season yet
The only way I would be behind a trade involving Gil is if the Yankees replace him with a top 2-3 FA Starter this offseason, and trade him for a haul.
I am perfectly fine with Gil being a Yankee for life otherwise.
Hi Doron. Totally agree with adding another starter to allow Gill, Stroman, peraza and periera to be used for trade material. Preferably for James wood in a gill and others trade and Bellinger for 1st/cf backup. Still need a 3b who is fast in reaction time and I’m still stuck on Ortiz from Milwaukee as the best fit but now seems completely unlikely. Bregman what be a next best bet.
Hello to you too!!
Bellinger is not going to require a massive haul, he is 100% a salary dump from the Cubs.
I am against Bregman for 2 reasons.
1. He is a Boras Client.
2. He is a Boras Client.
Gil should only be traded for a MAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSIIIIIIIIIIVE Haul.
Scott Boras. The owners must hate him with a passion.
I think it is an ok trade. Durban is probably a solid utility player but he is the same type of decent contact ability but not enough power utility type of infielder than the Yankees produced a lot of in the last couple years (duran, Josh smith, Cabrera, peraza) who can hit ok but doesn’t have enough power to be a first division regulsr
This trade sets the bar for what the Cardinals might get for Helsley. One year of an elite closer can fetch a decent return, but not the kind of mega-package some Cardinals fans expect.
Just remember that Tyler Durdin is really 2 people, so this deal is even better for MIL.
In the short term due to contractual parameters it is a win for both teams. They both got something that can help them for 2025 and both have the option to extend there guys.
Now I’d like to see Cashman sign Tanner Scott. Along with Williams and Weaver, what a trio for the last 3 innings. Nestor could be effective at times but his lack of velocity always made you feel that if his command was off somebody could smoke one. That Granny he gave up to Freddy ******* Freeman in the World Series was a monumental disaster of unparalleled magnitude. I’m kind of sorry to see Durbin go. He sort of reminded me of Dustin Pedroia, a hard nosed little gamer. I hope he doesn’t turn out as good as Pedroia was. At least he’s in the NL. Meanwhile, now the Yanks need a 2nd or 3rd baseman depending on where they decide to put Jazz. And they better not resign Gleyber. I’ve had enough of that space case. Although if he was willing to resign for 2/30 mil. he’d be a lot cheaper than say signing Bregman and putting Jazz at 2nd, his natural position. More will be revealed. Man, I love this hot stove stuff. And my first stop is always MLB Trade Rumors to see the latest because I know there content is accurate, up to the minute, and not a bunch of misconstrued horse****.