But everything could change before Opening Day, especially since the Milwaukee Brewers are willing to trade their outstanding closer, Devin Williams, the reigning National League Reliever of the Year.
According to Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, the Phillies could be a potential trade destination for Williams in exchange for pitcher Andrew Bellatti, shortstop Bryan Rincon, and catcher Eduardo Tait from the Brewers.
“With (Craig) Kimbrel gone in free agency and no notable additions made to the relief corps so far this offseason, the Phillies are a logical landing spot as a team with World Series aspirations and a still unfulfilled need for a high-leverage, right-handed reliever,” Reuter said. “The Phillies have missed out on rumoured targets Robert Stephenson and Jordan Hicks, and a reunion with Héctor Neris made sense before he signed with the Chicago Cubs, so the options are dwindling in free agency…”
The Phillies are reportedly expected to trade for Cleveland Guardians’ All-Star reliever Emmanuel Clase.
How Devin Williams Affects the Philadelphia Phillies Bullpen
Williams, 28, won his second National League Reliever of the Year title after posting a 1.53 ERA and 36 saves this season. Last season, his whiff % and strike percentage were both in the 99th percentile of MLB, and his extension is unsurpassed, establishing him as a high-leverage closer who slams the door shut on opposing batters with a 94-mile-per-hour fastball and lethal changeup known as “the airbender.”
As the league’s finest closer, Williams would solve one of the Phillies’ most pressing problems in 2024: who will be the go-to arm to close off important games?
“The Philadelphia Phillies employed a closer-by-committee in 2023, with Craig Kimbrel (23 SV) and José Alvarado (10 SV) leading the way, while Gregory Soto (3 SV), Seranthony Dominguez (2 SV) and Matt Strahm (2 SV) also saw a few late-inning opportunities,” according to Reuter.
A package of young talent might land the Phillies in 2023 National League Reliever of the Year
Williams has emerged as a potential trade target for the Phillies, following the Brewers’ deal of ace Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles for two young players and a draft pick. Soon after, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand stated that “Milwaukee could be open to a trade of closer Devin Williams, who has two years of club control remaining prior to free agency.”
It now looks that the Brewers are interested in acquiring more high-potential talent, implying that they may demand prospects in exchange for Williams. Rincon and Tait are among the Phillies’ top-30 prospects, while Bellatti is an experienced reliever whose right arm might help the Brewers’ bullpen as the team rebuilds.
Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer said that other teams are interested in obtaining Rincon and Tait.
“We’ll start with two prospects who have caught the attention of multiple teams: shortstop Bryan Rincon and catcher Eduardo Tait,” Coffey said in a statement. “At least three big league teams have approached the Phillies about packaging Tait and Rincon in trades, but so far, the Phillies haven’t budged.”
The opportunity to add an All-Star player like Williams could change the Phillies’ reluctance to trade players of their farm system.
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