Ex-Brewers 2x All-Star Listed As Major Disappointment In 2025

With Devin Williams struggling in New York, punters may see an opportunity to bet against the Yankees, especially considering the Brewers’ success after the trade.

The Milwaukee Brewers made a key trade in the offseason that at the time looked lopsided in favor of the New York Yankees. They sent Devin Williams, who was in the final year of his contract to New York in exchange for Nestor Cortes and Caleb Durbin. However, the opposite has come to fruition. The Brewers have the best record in Major League Baseball while the Yankees are struggling to stay afloat.

To make matters worse, Durbin has been a key piece of the puzzle this season for Milwaukee, while Williams is struggling and his value has taken a major hit as he prepares to enter free agency for the first time in his career. Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report listed some of the biggest disappointments of the 2025 season. Williams was No. 3 on that list.

Williams was described as a major disappointment: "So, the Yankees gave up Nestor Cortes and Caleb Durbin to get Williams on their roster for his last season before hitting free agency for the first time, hoping he would be that 'peak Aroldis Chapman' type of overwhelming force that they've been lacking in the ninth inning in recent years," Miller wrote. "To put it lightly, the Airbender has not delivered the goods."

"After allowing a grand total of 26 earned runs in 141.0 innings pitched over his final three seasons in Milwaukee, Williams is already up to 28 earned runs in 49.1 innings of work this season. And though he has somehow only blown three saves on the year, he has lost his closer role twice."

Williams is 3-5 with a 5.11 ERA in 54 appearances this year. He has recorded 18 saves this year and does still have a strong track record, but he has not been as good as advertised this season, and it's looking like his value in free agency will be taking a hit in the near future.

Williams was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2020 with the Brewers and is a two-time NL Reliever of the Year, but he certainly hasn't pitched like it this year. It will be interesting to see what his market looks like this coming offseason, but right now, it's clear that the Brewers were the ones who won this deal, and not the Yankees. We'll see if he can turn it around late, but the Brewers are the ones reaping the benefits here.

The Brewers seem to have won this deal.

Si