The Yankees made a catastrophic trade that has crushed their bullpen

The New York Yankees are dealing with a nightmare scenario in their bullpen, one that has unraveled at the worst possible time.

Devin Williams, the prized acquisition from the Milwaukee Brewers, was supposed to lock down late innings and anchor high-leverage moments.

Instead, the 30-year-old has been a liability, watching a once-dominant track record crumble under the bright lights of New York.

Williams entered the year with three straight seasons of sub-2.00 ERA baseball, a proven elite reliever with the reputation of a shutdown arm.

Yet, his 2025 campaign has been a disaster, posting a 5.44 ERA over 43 innings while repeatedly faltering in pivotal situations.

A stunning fall from dominance

Williams’ underlying metrics show he can still miss bats, ranking in the 97th percentile for whiff rate with a 30% strikeout clip.

But elite swing-and-miss stuff means little if every mistake gets punished, and Williams has faltered when the Yankees have needed him most.

Tuesday’s eighth inning against the Texas Rangers was a new low, as he surrendered two runs before the offense even had a chance.

The performance perfectly captured his season: flashes of ability completely overshadowed by walks, untimely hits, and eroding confidence.

He has now allowed three earned runs across his last two outings and six in his last four appearances, an alarming trend.

For a team fighting to stay in the playoff picture, a reliever with this volatility is like handing matches to someone in a fireworks factory.

The trade already stings

What makes Williams’ struggles worse is the cost the Yankees paid to acquire him from Milwaukee last winter.

One of the key pieces sent to the Brewers was rookie infielder Caleb Durbin, who has been a revelation in his debut season.

Durbin is hitting .262/.346/.369 with five homers, 38 RBIs, and an excellent 9.5% strikeout rate, all while flashing plus defense.

The irony is painful—Durbin could have helped solve New York’s lingering third base issues before they acquired Ryan McMahon, instead of thriving in another team’s infield.

Hindsight is always clear, but every Williams implosion only magnifies the long-term sting of this trade for Brian Cashman’s front office.

A looming decision for Brian Cashman

The Yankees are now left with an uncomfortable question: do they keep running Williams out there or cut their losses entirely?

Designating him for assignment is a drastic move, but his inability to handle pressure is costing the team valuable games.

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This is New York, and patience for struggling relievers is thinner than ever when the season teeters on the edge of disaster.

Moving him out of the closer role hasn’t fixed the problem; the confidence and mental toughness required simply aren’t there right now.

If the Yankees want to regain control of the late innings, David Bednar or Camilo Doval may have to take the reins immediately.

For Williams, the clock is ticking, and unless he rewrites his narrative in the next two months, his Bronx tenure could end abruptly.