Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
One of the more interesting free agents in baseball this winter is veteran relief pitcher Devin Williams. Williams is coming off a less-than-appealing season with the New York Yankees, but he is still expected to have a ton of interest around the league.
With the Yankees, the once dominant reliever saw his ERA skyrocket from under 2.00 to an astonishing 4.55 this past season. Nobody really understands what happened to him this year, but relief pitchers tend to be volatile almost every season.
Williams did see more success in the second half of the season, even seeing his velocity jump up. This could give teams hope that he can round back into form going forward.
But due to his struggles, Williams is likely to sign a smaller deal to then get his value back up around the league. The veteran will want to then reenter free agency next winter, with the hope of landing a larger, more lucrative contract.
Williams has already drawn interest from multiple teams, but where he could land remains up in the air. The right-hander should choose the place that he believes can give him the best chance to restore his image moving forward.
This is just a prediction, NOT a report!
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Cincinnati Reds Land Devin Williams in Free Agency
One team that has reportedly shown interest in going after Williams this winter is the Cincinnati Reds. While Cincinnati doesn’t normally look to spend in free agency, this offseason could be different for the team.
The Reds are coming off an appearance in the postseason, and even if the team won’t spend like they should, adding a solid reliever could go a long way. Cincinnati has a nice core in place, and it could be the perfect spot for Williams to get his value back up around the league.
With manager Terry Francona in the dugout, Williams could be interested in learning from the legendary leader. Williams has the talent that could drastically help this Reds team take another step forward, and they could make some noise this year.
Another factor in Williams potentially going to Cincinnati over some other places could be that he may not want the pressure that he would have elsewhere. Williams was extremely dominant while being a member of the Brewers, but once he got to New York, things went off the rails a little.
The Reds may have a hard time competing with some of the other teams in terms of financial compensation, especially if this is crucial to Williams’ decision. Cincinnati has the ability to spend money, like every other team, but this ownership group tends to take the route that far too many teams in baseball go down.
Overall, it could be tough to see Williams go to the Reds, but it does make a lot of sense. If anything, Cincinnati should make him a compelling offer and see where the chips may fall.