"Devin Williams will thrive there" - MLB insider links star free agent closer to Yankees' AL East rival

A two-time All-Star during his time with the Milwaukee Brewers, Devin Williams' stint with the New York Yankees did not go to plan in 2025. The closer ended the regular season with a career-worst 4.79 ERA.

Despite his recent struggles, Williams, who is now a free agent, boasts a 1.83 ERA over the last five seasons, making him a high-ceiling option for a team that manages to unlock his potential.

While speaking about Devin Williams' ability on Thursday's episode of the "Blair & Barker" podcast, insider Jeff Passan speculated the Toronto Blue Jays could be that team.

"Devin Williams hits 94-87, so there's a fastball there," Passan said. (36:30) "The changeup is just an awesome, awesome changeup. I think Williams is just a guy who has a nasty out-pitch that he can also land for strikes.

"I think Devin Williams would be a great addition for the Blue Jays, and I think he will thrive there. But I think it all depends on how much (Toronto Blue Jays owner) Edward Rogers is willing to throw into this organization."

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"It wasn’t necessarily like I was bad in every game" - Devin Williams argues why his ERA is not an accurate representation of his performance in 2025

Though his ERA doesn't paint a pretty picture, Devin Williams also managed to finish within the top 4 percent of MLB in strikeout rate, whiff rate, chase rate and expected batting average.

Speaking to insider Will Sammon of The Athletic, Williams argued why his ERA, which took a significant hit due to a few poor performances, was not an accurate indicator of how he fared over the season as a whole.

"As far as my feel and my command, I even lowered my walk rate this year, even with kind of the way that the year went,” Williams said. “The statistics ended up the way they were because I had four or five blow-up games. They ended up scoring three or ended up scoring four.

"I just wasn’t able to get out of it after one run. That contributed to why my ERA looks the way that it did. It wasn’t necessarily like I was bad in every game. It’s just when I had a bad game, it was terrible.”

Tampa Bay Rays v New York Yankees - Source: Getty

MLB Trade Rumors predicts Williams to land a four-year deal this winter, in the range of $68 million.