NEW YORK — The New York Yankees declined to reunite with Devin Williams after the 2025 season and he joined the Mets for a three-year deal. Now they might go back to the same well that produced him.
Milwaukee is where Williams became a star. It’s also where his replacement might be waiting.
The New York Yankees remain in search for bullpen help. Team officials are evaluating relief targets across the league, and industry sources say Milwaukee could again become a realistic trade partner. The Brewers have been one of the Yankees’ most reliable pipelines, and with Williams gone, the front office is weighing options that could reopen that channel to stabilize the late innings.
Yankees-Brewers trade proposal
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter recently put together a blockbuster scenario involving the Yankees and Brewers ahead of the Winter Meetings.
The proposed deal has the Yankees acquiring Brewers All-Star closer Trevor Megill. The price? A package of pitching prospects that could reshape both organizations.
The package: right-hander Carlos Lagrange, first baseman T.J. Rumfield, and pitcher Harrison Cohen.
Lagrange is the prize of the bunch. The 22-year-old Dominican flamethrower is ranked as the Yankees’ No. 2 prospect. His fastball has touched 103 mph. He finished 2025 with a 3.53 ERA and 168 strikeouts across 120 innings at Double-A Somerset.
Why Milwaukee might deal
The Brewers have a pattern. They trade star closers. Then they replace them internally. Then they do it again.
They traded Josh Hader. Devin Williams stepped up. They traded Williams to the Yankees last December. Megill became an All-Star. Now the cycle could repeat.
“The Brewers are reportedly concerned about their payroll for the upcoming season,” Reuter wrote. “And while that has led to increased speculation that Freddy Peralta will be traded, he’s not the only candidate to be shipped out in a cost-cutting move.”
Megill is projected to earn $4.2 million in arbitration for 2026. That would make him one of Milwaukee’s ten highest-paid players. For a small-market team, that’s significant.
The Brewers also have Abner Uribe waiting in the wings. The hard-throwing right-hander posted a 1.67 ERA with seven saves while filling in for Megill down the stretch. He’s ready for the ninth inning.
Milwaukee finished the 2025 regular season with the best record in baseball. They did it while trading away their closer the previous winter. Their front office knows how to reload on the fly.
What Megill brings to the Bronx
The numbers are impressive. Over the past two seasons, Megill has recorded 51 saves with a 2.60 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings across 98 appearances.
In 2025, he made 50 appearances and converted 30 of 36 save chances. He finished with a 2.49 ERA in 47 innings while striking out 60 batters. He earned his first All-Star selection.
Megill’s arsenal features a 100-mph fastball and a devastating curveball. He’s a power arm who can dominate the ninth inning. That’s exactly what the Yankees need.
A right flexor strain sidelined him for most of September. But he returned for the postseason and looked sharp. He even started Game 5 of the NLDS against the Cubs as an opener.
“Closer Trevor Megill has 51 saves with a 2.60 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 10.6 K/9 in 98 appearances over the past two seasons, and he was an All-Star for the first time in 2025,” Reuter noted.
The Williams hangover
The Yankees acquired Williams from Milwaukee last December. They gave up Nestor Cortes and Caleb Durbin. It didn’t go as planned.
Williams posted a career-worst 4.79 ERA in 62 innings with the Yankees. He lost the closer job twice. He finished with 18 saves in 22 chances. His famous changeup wasn’t as dominant.
On Monday night, Williams agreed to a three-year deal with the Mets worth $51 million. That’s the second straight year a Yankees free agent has signed with their crosstown rival.
The Yankees didn’t extend Williams a qualifying offer. They won’t receive draft pick compensation. Brian Cashman must find another solution.
The bullpen crisis
Williams isn’t the only reliever the Yankees might lose. Luke Weaver is also a free agent. The right-hander emerged as one of the best setup men in baseball in 2025.
If both depart, the Yankees bullpen will need a complete overhaul. Acquiring Megill would fill the biggest hole immediately.
The 31-year-old has two years of arbitration control remaining. That gives the Yankees cost certainty while they navigate a crowded free agent market.
Other options exist. The Yankees could pursue Edwin Diaz, who opted out of his Mets contract. They could target Robert Suarez or another free agent closer. But trading for Megill would provide more years of control at a lower cost.
Giving up Lagrange
Trading Carlos Lagrange won’t be easy. The Yankees protected him from the Rule 5 Draft last month. They clearly believe in his future.
Lagrange’s fastball touches triple digits. His slider grades as a 70 on the scouting scale. He struck out 168 batters across 120 innings in 2025. Some scouts project him as a future mid-rotation starter.
But the Yankees have been willing to trade pitching prospects before. They dealt Durbin for Williams. They’ve moved arms for immediate help.
“With flame-thrower Abner Uribe waiting in the wings as a ninth-inning replacement, flipping Megill could bring back a nice prospect haul and shed some salary without necessarily gutting the bullpen,” Reuter wrote of Milwaukee’s perspective.
Winter Meetings approach
The Winter Meetings begin December 8 in Orlando. The Yankees and Brewers have dealt before. They could do it again.
Milwaukee has shown a willingness to trade closers at their peak value. The Yankees have shown a need for back-end bullpen help. The fit makes sense for both sides.
For a team still reeling from losing Williams to the Mets, landing Megill would be the perfect counter-punch.
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