As two of the oldest and most popular franchises in the history of Major League Baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees have a lot in common.
Last year, that meant a trip to the last World Series, where the Dodgers came out on top. And since then, the two teams have also shared some disappointment in their star bullpen additions.
This past winter, the Dodgers signed All-Star relievers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates only to see their relief corps collectively struggle all season. And the Yankees traded for award-winning closer Devin Williams, who has fallen short as well.
“Williams was supposed to shore up the ninth inning and give New York a dependable, elite option at the end of games,” MLB insider Robert Murray wrote for FanSided. “Instead, the right-hander has posted a 5.60 ERA in 49 games this season and has bounced between the ninth inning and low-leverage situations.”
The Yankees acquired Williams in his final year of arbitration eligibility and now he is headed to free agency with virtually no chance of returning to the Bronx and in serious desperation for a bounce-back campaign. As a result, Murray projected that the reliever is in line for a short-term deal and listed the Dodgers as a team that “could embarrass” the Yankees “by saving Devin Williams’ career in free agency.”
“Williams is highly likely to sign a one-year contract to re-establish his value, and what better place to do that than the Dodgers?” Murray asked. “They have a history of signing relievers to one-year contracts. They have shown previous interest in Williams. Maybe that’s a partnership the two sides could revisit this offseason?”
The Dodgers were linked to Williams alongside the Yankees this past winter and if they believe his struggles have more to do with the pressure of pitching in New York rather than anything physical, they could take a chance on him in Los Angeles. With some lasting need in the bullpen and a penchant for star players, the fit makes sense.
More MLB: Yankees Predicted to Finally Cut Ties With Devin Williams This Month, Admit Mistake
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