Remember during the regular season when everyone was ripping into the Yankees’ bullpen for constantly blowing games? A lot of that frustration came from the struggles of Luke Weaver and Devin Williams. Williams, in particular, had a rough year, posting a career-worst 4.79 ERA with the Yankees in 2025. He gave up 33 runs in just 62 innings, and amazingly, nearly half of those (16) came in just five games!!!

But here’s the interesting twist: despite that tough season, Williams is still drawing plenty of attention in free agency. According to The Athletic’s Will Sammon, teams like the Dodgers, Red Sox, and Reds are reportedly interested. Of course, given his struggles, no one expects him to land a massive deal. More likely, a team will take a low-risk chance on him with a one-year prove-it contract.

Still, when you hear the kind of attention he’s getting after such a down year, it’s a reminder that baseball never stops surprising us.

“What makes Williams’ free agency so interesting is the discrepancy among industry opinions on what kind of contract he can land, largely due to his 2025 season. The Athletic’s Tim Britton projected Williams for one year, $18 million, whereas MLB Trade Rumors suggested four years, $68 million,” Sammon reports.

So, another round of the Red Sox-Dodgers is on the way, and that’s for someone who struggled in 2025!

Well, most of the interest in Williams stems from his previous accomplishments before joining the Yankees. Notably, during his six years with the Brewers, he was putting up a 1.83 ERA, striking out 375 hitters.

Also, recording three straight seasons with a sub-2.00 ERA from 2022 to 2024. His signature pitch, the Airbender changeup, was a nightmare for hitters, fueling a 34.7% strikeout rate and nearly a 17% swinging-strike rate!

No one would surely like to miss these stats…

Yes, we didn’t see much of that magic in New York last season, but suitors seem confident he can rediscover that form. Take the Dodgers, for example — Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott both struggled. Thus, this time, instead of handing out long-term contracts like Scott’s, L.A. might prefer a short-term, low-risk deal with upside.

On the other hand, given Williams’ swing-and-miss stuff and that filthy changeup, the Red Sox could easily see him as a bounce-back candidate for high-leverage innings. As for the Yankees? They seem to be heading in a different direction altogether, with new bullpen names already being linked to the team.

The Yankees are looking in a different basket

The Yankees are certainly not looking into re-signing Williams, but that means a few new relief pitching names are on their radar.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Yankees are projected to sign Nick Martinez away from the Reds this offseason. And it projects Martinez to land a two-year, $25 million deal — and if so, that seems like a smart investment for New York. Why? Because if someone like Devin Williams ends up getting $68 million for one year, the Yankees shouldn’t feel bad about spending $25 million on a versatile arm like Martinez.

For the unversed, the biggest selling point with Martinez is his flexibility…

He can pitch as both a starter and a reliever. That versatility was on full display in 2025 with the Reds, where he logged 165 2/3 innings and posted a 4.45 ERA overall. He put up a 4.72 ERA in 26 starts but was far more effective out of the bullpen, posting a 2.61 ERA in 14 relief outings.

Now, with Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole both working their way back from injuries, the Yankees could really use someone who can handle innings and shift between roles as needed. Martinez’s ability to do both makes him an ideal fit for what they need right now.