The New York Yankees made a major trade during the offseason to bring in who they viewed, alongside many others, as one of the best closers in Major League Baseball, if not the best.
Of course, that closer is Devin Williams, who became a force to be reckoned with during his six seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers from 2019 to 2024, averaging 14.3 strikeouts per nine innings thanks to a terrific changeup, which Yankees manager Aaron Boone calls “The Airbender”.
Despite Williams’ terrific career with the Brewers, which included two All-Star appearances and two Trevor Hoffman Reliever of the Year Awards, given to the best relief pitcher in the National League, the righty has caused Yankees fans more headaches than excitement.
Williams has struggled mightily with command, walking 11 batters in 12.2 innings in 2025 and uncharacteristically is allowing 9.2 hits per nine innings after 4.0 hits per nine innings in 58.2 innings in 2023.
Should the Yankees trade for a closer?
It’s still very early in the season, but some fans online and baseball reporters believe the Yankees may want to make a trade for another closer.
Thursday, Newsweek’s Jon Vankin proposed a trade idea that would send Los Angeles Angels closer Kenley Jansen to the Yankees. Jansen, 37, ranks fourth all-time in career saves with 454, 24 behind Hall of Famer Lee Smith.
“Because Jansen would be a partial-season rental for the Yankees — either re-entering free agency or retiring after this season when his contract expires — the price to get him out of Anaheim to the Bronx should not be high,” Vankin wrote. “A pair of lower minor-league pitching prospects — such as 2023 sixth-round pick Cade Smith, a righty, along with lefty Kyle Carr, a third-rounder that same year — should be plenty to secure Jansen and stabilize the crucial high-leverage end of the Yankees bullpen as they pursue a return trip to the World Series.”
For now, the Yankees are mainly utilizing righty Luke Weaver as the closer. Weaver proved he could do the job in last year’s postseason against the Kansas City Royals and the Cleveland Guardians. Despite Weaver’s recent success, Williams struck out San Diego Padres’ shortstop Xander Bogaerts with the bases loaded in the top of the 10th inning on Thursday in a 4-3 Yankees win.
Would a Stint with the Yankees Help Jansen?
While he’s not guaranteed to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Jansen has undoubtedly had a career similar to that of the Hall of Fame.
The former longtime Los Angeles Dodger is a World Series champion, a four-time All-Star, and has a 153 ERA+ in 881 career MLB games. Would finishing his career on a winning team help his case for the Hall of Fame that much more?
“Smith, who hung up his spikes after the 1997 season, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019, wrote Vankin. “Just 24 more saves, Jansen would move past Smith on the career leader board. That total probably would not be within reach with the currently last-place, 14-20 Angels. But with the Yankees, that number would become much more achievable.”
If the Angels are out of the postseason race by the trade deadline, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Jansen on the move. He is a free agent at the end of the season.
Yankees Trade Idea Replaces Devin Williams With 454 Save Closer