New York Yankees

After starring for the Milwaukee Brewers for the last six seasons, closer Devin Williams will have a new home for the 2025 campaign.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Brewers are finalizing a deal that will send Williams to the New York Yankees.

Per Robert Murray of Fansided, the Yankees are sending Nestor Cortes Jr. to Milwaukee. The Brewers will also receive infield prospect Caleb Durbin, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

Milwaukee had declined the $10.5 million option on Williams' contract on Nov. 3 but still retained him on the roster because he was arbitration-eligible for one more year. He will be a free agent in 2026.

Williams signed a one-year contract with the Brewers worth $7.25 million with a club option last offseason to avoid arbitration. He missed the first three months of the 2024 season due to two stress fractures in his back.

After making his return to the mound on July 28, Williams made 22 appearances out of the bullpen and recorded 14 saves, a 1.25 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP and 38 strikeouts in 21.2 innings of work. He gave up four earned runs in two postseason appearances against the New York Mets in the National League Wild Card Series as the Brewers lost the series 2-1.

A two-time All-Star and two-time National League Reliever of the Year, Williams is one of the most dominant closers in the majors. In 2023, he recorded a career-high 36 saves across 61 appearances while notching 87 strikeouts in 58.2 innings pitched.

In his limited time on the mound this past season, Williams showed he can be as effective as ever when healthy, so he will surely be motivated to showcase his dominance in 2025 now that his injury issues are behind him.

By acquiring Williams, the Yankees are ensuring that their bullpen is anchored by one of the most dynamic pitchers in the game today while they chase another run to the World Series.

Relief pitching was an Achilles heel for the Yankees last season. Clay Holmes, who agreed to a three-year, $38 million deal with the New York Mets this week, lost his job as a closer because of his struggles in the ninth inning.

Yankee relievers ranked 19th in MLB in FanGraphs' wins above replacement (3.1). Cortes does take a depth piece away from their starting rotation, but they already addressed that unit in free agency by agreeing to an eight-year, $218 million deal with Max Fried.

Starting pitching was a huge area of need for the reigning NL Central champion Brewers. Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers are their only returning starters currently on the roster who threw at least 75 innings last season.

Cortes threw a career-high 174.1 innings in 31 appearances for the Yankees in 2024. He posted a 3.77 ERA.

Durbin, a 14th-round pick in the 2021 MLB draft by the Atlanta Braves, played at three levels in the minors last season. He hit .275/.388/.451 with 10 homers and 60 RBI in 406 plate appearances.

A ball from one of the pivotal moments of the 2024 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees sold at an auction held by Major League Baseball.

MLB announced the winning bid for Aaron Judge's dropped ball in the fifth inning of Game 5 at Yankee Stadium sold for $43,510 on Thursday.

After losing the first three games of the series, the Yankees were able to stave off elimination with an 11-4 victory in Game 4. A win in Game 5 would have sent the series back to Los Angeles and put the pressure back on the Dodgers.

It looked like things were going in favor of the Yankees to start Game 5. They took a 5-0 lead after three innings, with Judge hitting a two-run homer in the bottom of the first. Gerrit Cole was cruising with four no-hit innings to start the game.

Then came the fifth inning. Enrique Hernández led off the frame with a single for the Dodgers' first hit. Tommy Edman followed with a soft liner to center for what should have been a routine play, but the ball hit off Judge's glove to put two runners on with no outs.

Cole looked like he would get out of the situation unscathed after striking out Gavin Lux and Shohei Ohtani, but he failed to cover first on a grounder to Anthony Rizzo that scored one run.

The Dodgers followed with a two-run single by Freddie Freeman and a two-run double by Teoscar Hernández that tied the score. The Yankees did go back on top in the sixth with a sacrifice fly from Giancarlo Stanton, but the good vibes were short-lived.

Los Angeles responded in the eighth by scoring two runs to take a 7-6 lead. Walker Buehler closed out the game with a perfect ninth to seal the win and give the Dodgers their second World Series title in the past five seasons.

Judge's blunder was one of many defensive miscues for the Yankees throughout the playoffs, but his play was going to get more of the headlines by virtue of being the biggest star on the team.

It didn't help matters that Judge struggled with the bat throughout the postseason, despite his first-inning homer in Game 5. He hit just .184/.344/.408 with three homers in 14 games.

The Yankees captain was named AL MVP for the second time in three years after a terrific regular season, but there is a bubbling narrative about his playoff struggles that had another chapter added to it after his fifth-inning error in Game 5.

Juan Soto says he hasn't spoken with any of his former New York Yankees teammates, presumably including Aaron Judge, since the team lost Game 5 of the 2024 World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I haven't talked to any of those guys," Soto said on Thursday, the day after finalizing a 15-year, $765 million contract to join the New York Mets. "We've talked to them through the playoff, at the end of the playoff, but after that... I haven't talked to any."

The Yankees lost out in a bidding war with the Mets after offering Soto $760 million over 16 years, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Soto told reporters on Thursday that he would say he had a good experience with the Yankees since joining the team following his 2023 trade from the San Diego Padres.

"I feel like they did that they had in their power to help me out, to bring me back, but I have other four teams doing the same thing and trying to make me feel comfortable," Soto said.

"At the end, we look at everything. We look at the chances and we look at what other teams wanted to do, and what everybody wants to do for the next 15 years. And I think we have the best chance to win here."

Soto also thanked Yankees fans during his first interviews as a Met.

"I want to say thank you," Soto said. "I actually just want to say thank you to them. They really showed me all the love, and everything that they have, last year. They were right there, day in, day out. They really have a spot in my heart at the end of the day.

"Tough that we couldn't get it together, and try to be back, and stuff like that. But definitely, I'm always gonna appreciate what they did for me in 2024."

The Red Sox offered Soto approximately $700 million over 15 years, per Sean McAdam of MassLive. The Dodgers "capped" their offer at $600 million, per Patrick Mooney, Will Sammon, Brendan Kuty and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The Yankees and Mets came closest in terms of money. According to Heyman, the Mets' deal may have been differentiated by "relatively small things" including a higher signing bonus, a fifth-year opt out and a suite for his family.

Judge said multiple times since October that he was not in communication with Soto as his former teammate weighed a return to the Yankees against offers from other teams.

The Yankees captain told reporters on Oct. 24, one day prior to Game 1 of the World Series, that he hadn't discussed free agency with Soto. He then took a similar stance when asked for an update on his communication with Soto in late November.

"I think the best thing is to really give those guys space," Judge said on Nov. 22, per SNY. "You know, I talked to him all season and he knows how we feel about him."

Soto, whose .327 postseason batting average was key in leading the Yankees to the World Series as Judge's offense faltered, will now be taking his services to Queens.

The little things might have added up for Juan Soto when he chose to leave the New York Yankees and sign with the New York Mets this offseason.

Soto reportedly rebuffed a $760 million offer from the Bronx Bombers and opted for the Mets instead. ESPN's Buster Olney and Jeff Passan detailed what led up to the decision, and among the factors might have been his rapport with Yankees officials.

Olney and Passan wrote how chairman Hal Steinbrenner tends to give star players "a respectful space," in contrast to his late father George. That might have backfired a bit with Soto.

"Soto indicated to an associate that he was surprised he didn't know Hal better, and according to two sources in the meetings, Steinbrenner explained he didn't want to overwhelm the player in his first year in New York," the report said.

There were also a couple of minor situations behind the scenes involving people from Soto's camp.

According to Olney and Passan, Soto's father had once tried to enter the clubhouse before a game to deliver some food to his son.

"But he was turned away, in a routine enforcement of rules that were put in place by MLB in the aftermath of the steroid era; in some cases, personal trainers and some family members were found to have served as PED mules," they reported.

In another instance, a driver for Soto who intended to take him home was turned away when he tried to access a parking lot before a Yankees game ended.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman also previously reported one bone of contention for Soto was having a suite set aside for his family and paid for by the team. The Yankees pushed back after having not granted that request to other stars such as Derek Jeter and Aaron Judge.

Across any sport, being a generational talent comes with special privileges. Olney and Passan reported the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres displayed "more deference" toward Soto and his family when he played for them.

The Yankees, however, still pride themselves on maintaining some of their strict standards. Banning long hair and beards is the most obvious example.

For a long time, the franchise could lean on its history, on-field success, and home market to attract stars despite rules that might be considered arcane or unnecessary. If you wanted to play on a World Series contender, get paid a lot of money, and call New York home, then you signed with the Yankees.

Thanks to the free-spending ways of team owner Steve Cohen, the Mets have become a viable alternative for elite talent who yearn to play in the Big Apple.

It will be fascinating to see whether the Yankees adapt now that the advantage they once owned is gone.

Luis Gil dazzled in his first full season with the New York Yankees, earning AL Rookie of the Year honors—and perhaps pitching his way out of town.

Gil might be the best trade chip at the Yankees' disposal, and they surely need to put their best on the table if they hope to pluck Kyle Tucker away from the Houston Astros.

If the Astros send Tucker to New York, they want Gil as part of the return package, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. As Joel Sherman of the New York Post opined, Gil and catcher/first baseman Ben Rice "could front a package that at least gets the Yankees to the table."

That table would be crowded, though. Sherman added that the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies all have interest in Tucker.

Save for some bottom-feeding rebuilders, it's hard to think of who wouldn't want him.

He is 27 years old and owns a resume that includes three All-Star selections, one Gold Glove, one Silver Slugger and a top-five finish in MVP voting (fifth in 2023). His list of accolades might be even longer had he not lost most of the 2024 season's second half to a fracture in his shin. Even with the time missed, he managed to tally 23 homers and 11 steals in just 78 contests.

This past season, he posted a career-best 181 OPS+, per Baseball-Reference. For context, he fared better in that category than Juan Soto (178), who just ditched the Yankees to score a record-setting 15-year, $765 million deal from the New York Mets.

New York has been firmly in the market for an impact hitter ever since. The baseball gods may not offer up a better option than Tucker.

He isn't quite the same caliber slugger as Soto, but Tucker isn't far behind. Soto's career 162-game averages include 35 home runs and 102 RBI; Tucker's are 32 and 107, respectively. Soto has a career .532 slugging percentage; Tucker is at .516.

Tucker can also be an asset in the field or on the basepaths in ways Soto can't match. That's not to suggest Tucker is a better player, but it's intended to highlight how he is a bona fide superstar of similar wattage.

Truth be told, Tucker might have even more in common with Soto than the Yankees would like. That's because Tucker has free agency awaiting him after next season, just like Soto did when New York traded for him last December.

So, there's a chance Tucker winds up being a one-year rental just like Soto was. Perhaps that causes some hesitation about sacrificing Gil to get him.

The Yankees shouldn't let that hold them back.

For one, they could already start preparing an offer for Tucker's next contract. It will be enormous (maybe in the $300 million to $400 million range), but it won't be as big as Soto's.

For another, they have the pitching depth to get by without Gil. Remember, they just signed Max Fried to join Gerrit Cole atop this rotation. Take Gil out of the mix, and they can still round out the rotation with Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt and either Nestor Cortes or Marcus Stroman.

The rotation might miss Gil's presence, but the reward of adding Tucker to this lineup and forming another uber-talented-tandem with Aaron Judge outweighs the risk. Great players aren't made available often, and the Yankees can't afford to let this opportunity pass them by.

Star first baseman Pete Alonso is open to playing in a different New York City borough if he senses the New York Mets aren't all that preoccupied with retaining him, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Heyman reported Wednesday that Alonso "is also said to have some interest in going to the Yankees if the Mets never seriously engage with him."

The Yanks agreed to a deal with starting pitcher Max Fried worth a reported $218 million, but they should still have a lot of cash to burn considering they were prepared to spend $760 million on Juan Soto.

Any time a free agent of Soto's magnitude finally signs, it causes a domino effect. Fried's contract with the Bronx Bombers is a perfect example. However, some free agents are left to twist in the wind, and their continued presence on the open market only lowers the leverage they have at the negotiating table.

It sounds as though the conclusion to the Soto sweepstakes brought little clarity for Alonso. MLB Network Radio' Jim Duquette said Wednesday on Baseball Night in New York that his market "is still being established."

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns indicated re-signing the four-time All-Star is the team's preference.

"We'd love to bring Pete back," he said, per ESPN's Jorge Castillo. "Pete's been a great Met. He had some enormous hits for us, and we'll see where that goes."

The Mets could be playing hardball with Alonso given he doesn't seem to have any serious suitors at the moment. Heyman's report comes off as his representatives trying to turn the tables on Stearns a bit more because his departure wouldn't be received well by the fanbase.

Having said that, the Yankees do need a first baseman after declining Anthony Rizzo's 2025 option, so Alonso would address a need in their lineup. They also might like to get one over on their crosstown rivals after the Mets won the Soto bidding.

Anyone with a spare $4 million laying around can now own a coveted piece of New York Yankees history.

SCP Auctions put a game-worn Lou Gehrig jersey from the 1937 World Series and other regular-season games for sale, and TMZ Sports noted it is expected to sell for more than $4 million.

The auction closes Saturday night, and, as of Thursday morning, there is already a bid for $1.65 million.

According to SCP Auctions, it is the "only Gehrig World Series jersey to surface" and was carefully photomatched:

"This majestic Yankees home pinstripe jersey was donned by Larrupin' Lou Gehrig during that triumphant 1937 season. Its emphatic authentication as a Gehrig gamer is beyond doubt. Besides being the most recognizable sports uniform in the world, each Yankees pinstripe jersey holds clues which lend itself to modern photo-matching techniques. While every Yankees home jersey may appear identical on the field, up close each one has its own unique pinstripe pattern where each section of the garment has been sewn together. It is this important characteristic, as unique as human fingerprints, that has led three expert photo-matching firms to conclude that the great Lou Gerhrig wore this jersey in several home games throughout the 1937 campaign, including the Fall Classic."

The Hall of Famer remains one of the most iconic players in baseball history, and he was a dominant force during that 1937 campaign.

Gehrig slashed .351/.473/.643 with 37 home runs and 158 RBI while making the All-Star Game for a fifth straight season. New York won its second of what became four consecutive World Series crowns from the 1936 through 1939 campaigns.

It was Gehrig's age-34 season, although he retired just two years later after he was diagnosed with ALS. He then died in 1941 at the age of 37.

He finished his career with a legendary resume that included seven World Series titles, two MVPs, a Triple Crown, a batting title and seven All-Star Game selections.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman explained why the team didn't throw in a free family suite in their 16-year, $760 million contract offer to superstar outfielder Juan Soto before he left for the New York Mets on a 15-year, $765 million contract offer (which did include a suite).

"Some high-end players that make a lot of money for us, if they want suites, they buy them for their family or Legends seats or whatever," Cashman said from the Winter Meetings in Dallas, per Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post. "Whether it's CC [Sabathia], whether it's Judge, whether it's [Gerrit] Cole, whether it's any of these guys."

Jon Heyman reported on the Mets' inclusion of the suite (and the Yankees' exclusion of one) for the New York Post.

"All along, the Mets' offers ran only slightly ahead, and it's possible only relatively small things helped, too. The combination of perks that included a signing bonus of $75M (the Yankees offered $60M), escalators that can take the deal to $805 million, a no-trade clause, no deferrals (the Yankees also had none), the fifth-year opt-out (at age 30), and a suite for the Soto family probably helped push them over the finish line.

"The Yankees shouldn't be faulted for bidding a whopping $760M, but they wouldn't budge on the suite. The Yankees felt they couldn't give a suite to Soto when Judge pays for his suite, and even Derek Jeter paid. They were willing to discount a suite but not alter their precedent.

"Cohen didn't give the suite much of a thought. When he has his eyes on a prize, he is singularly focused."

Cashman's logic makes sense, especially given that the team's biggest star (Aaron Judge) and a franchise legend (Derek Jeter) didn't get that perk under his watch.

He also doesn't believe that was a factor in Soto choosing the Mets.

"However it gets played out [in media], whether it's like, 'The suite was the issue' or whatever. It's like: Was it really?" Cashman said, per Sanchez.

Ultimately, Soto got a little more money with the Mets at a higher average annual value. And per ESPN's Jeff Passan, Soto may have felt his new team had a brighter future.

That future does include a free Citi Field suite for his family and friends, though, and it will be utilized as soon as Friday, April 4, when the Mets host the Toronto Blue Jays for their 2025 home opener.

Jonathan Loáisiga is reportedly staying with the only Major League Baseball team he has ever known.

ESPN's Jorge Castillo reported Wednesday the New York Yankees and the right-handed pitcher agreed to a one-year deal with a team option for 2026. The expectation is Loáisiga will be ready to take the mound by late April after missing most of last season because of elbow surgery.

Loáisiga's health is a major focal point heading into this new contract, as he was limited to just three games and four innings last year. What's more, elbow injuries limited him to 17.2 innings during the 2023 campaign.

The 2021 season is the only time he has pitched more than 48 innings, as he threw 70.2 while posting a 2.17 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 69 strikeouts.

The Yankees needed to solidify their bullpen after Clay Holmes joined the New York Mets this offseason, and a healthy Loáisiga would help them do just that.

In seven seasons with New York, he has a 3.44 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 207 strikeouts in 219.2 innings. He's not someone who will likely close games for the team, but he can help shorten games in the bullpen with a formidable sinker.

It was anything but a foregone conclusion he would return to the Yankees, as Castillo previously reported he also generated interest from the Mets, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays.

But the Yankees made sure he is staying put, and they surely hope he stays healthy and helps them compete for an American League East crown in 2025.

The New York Yankees have "real" interest in signing free agent third baseman Alex Bregman, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

Bregman earned his first Gold Glove with the Houston Astros in 2024 after leading AL third baseman with a .972 fielding percentage.

The Astros have already offered Bregman a six-year deal worth approximately $156 million to return to Houston, MLB.com's Brian McTaggart previously reported.

DJ LeMahieu began the season at third base but batted just .183 through 41 games before getting moved from the position in late July.

At that point, the Yankees had just acquired Jazz Chisholm Jr., a former second baseman turned outfielder, in a midseason trade from the Miami Marlins.

Chisholm played third base for the first time in his MLB career in his second game with the Yankees. He ended up remaining in the position for the rest of the season.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone has said he would be "more than comfortable" heading into the 2025 season with Chisholm remaining at third base.

But the ideal outcome for the Yankees would likely be acquiring an experienced third baseman, allowing Chisholm to slide back to second base and therefore filling the infield gap left behind by the potential departure of Gleyber Torres in free agency.

There is some history between the Yankees and Bregman, who was a key member of the 2017 Astros team that eliminated New York from the ALCS and was later penalized by MLB for sign-stealing. Bregman's connection to that team "would not stop the Yankees from pursuing him," sources told MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

Another potential option for the Yankees' third base needs could be St. Louis Cardinals star Nolan Arenado, although the team is not on the list of six finalists Arenado would be willing to waive his no-trade clause for, according to MLB.com's John Denton.