Devin Williams, RHP, Brewers | Signed through 2025 ($10.5MM club option for 2025, which is his final arbitration season; Brewers could buy out for $250K. Projected $8MM arbitration salary)
Many will assume Williams is on here because of the unfortunate way in which his season — and the Brewers’ season — ended. That’s not the case, however. Williams stood as an obvious trade candidate long before that postseason meltdown. The Brewers are no strangers to trading their best players as they progress through their arbitration years and are particularly frugal when it comes to relief pitching. Josh Hader was in trade chatter for years before being moved with 1.5 seasons of club control remaining. Williams is arguably as good — or at least as talented — on a per-inning basis and will be more affordable.
Williams can command a solid trade return for his final season of club control, while the Brewers save some money, add to their base of young talent, and turn the ninth inning over to a more affordable arm like Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe or Joel Payamps. Milwaukee isn’t far south of its 2024 payroll even if Williams is traded and Willy Adames signs elsewhere, and owner Mark Attanasio’s recent comments didn’t exactly read like someone planning a major payroll spike.