No one foresaw Devin Williams struggling this much after being traded to the New York Yankees.
Williams, the two-time National League Reliever of the Year, has simply been brutal. He’s got an 11.25 ERA and -0.8 bWAR in his first 10 games as a Yankee, and manager Aaron Boone has already announced that he’ll be moved out of the closer role at least temporarily.
Williams could bounce back, and the Yankees also have Luke Weaver, who has been fantastic in any bullpen role that New York has used him in. But sometimes, you want a true shutdown closer, and perhaps the Yankees could still be in the market for one this summer.
If that’s the case, one writer has identified a trade target he believes could be on the Yankees’ radar.
On Sunday, St. Louis Cardinals on SI’s Zach Pressnell named Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley as a potential trade fit for the Yankees.
“Helsley is on an expiring contract, and he’s expected to sign a huge deal in free agency. It seems unlikely the Cardinals can re-sign him, so trading him for a huge haul, just like the Miami Marlins did with Tanner Scott last season, makes the most sense,” Pressnell wrote.
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“There are plenty of suitors, but the New York Yankees might be the most likely landing spot, especially after Aaron Boone’s recent announcement on the struggles on closer Devin Williams.”
Helsley, 30, blew his most recent save opportunity on Sunday, but his season ERA still sits at a respectable 3.60. He has a 1.92 ERA and 235 strikeouts in 177 2/3 innings pitched since the start of the 2022 season.
At $8.2 million, Helsley’s salary would be relatively affordable for this Yankees squad. But the question is whether New York will be motivated enough to outbid the other teams looking for closers at the deadline after trading two valuable players for Williams already.
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