BREAKING TRADE: Yankees Send Starter to Brewers for Closer Devin Williams

The Winter Meetings are wrapped, but we're left with one final big blast, as the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers have completed a huge trade. New York acquires closer Devin Williams in a package that sends Nestor Cortes to Milwaukee.

NEWS: The Yankees have acquired Brewers pitcher Devin Williams for starter Nestor Cortes and utility man Caleb Durbin, sources tell The Athletic.

More details from @ChrisKirschner and @WillSammon ⤵️https://t.co/Xgyf0Jfe7o pic.twitter.com/5yq0JLcJRK
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 13, 2024

In addition to Cortes, the Yanks send utility man Caleb Durbin in the deal.

A move for a high-leverage reliever has been in the works for some time for the Pinstripers, as New York clearly wouldn't commit to Luke Weaver as its closer this season despite the veteran's solid postseason work. Now we know why.

Williams has been one of the top closers in baseball for the last several seasons, with a 1.83 ERA and 68 saves in his six-year career, plus two All-Star nods.

He did miss the first half of the 2024 season after undergoing back surgery, but came back to save 14 games in the second half with a stunning 1.25 ERA. He has saved 65 games over the past three seasons, and averages 14.3 strikeouts per nine.

The Yanks had also been in talks with free-agent closer Tanner Scott, but got the Williams deal done.

The former Brewers closer has one year of team control remaining, and can be a free agent after 2025, but the Yankees will certainly try to work on an extension before then.

The Bronx Bombers had lost their high-leverage hurler Clay Holmes this offseason to the Mets, so needed to fill a big spot in the bullpen. Mission accomplished.

As for the Brewers, they need to rebuild their rotation and Cortes will hopefully help. A former All-Star, he has a career 3.80 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP along with impeccable control.