Developed - Devin Williams to the Yankees for Nestor Cortes and Caleb Durbin

[homer]

Cortes is due to make $8.3 million for those scoring at home. Williams was due to make $8.4 million. Antuhnaseo is a cheep ass!

[wallus]

My initial thoughts are this isn't too exciting. Cortes is okay but I would have preferred someone with more control and/or cheaper. This isn't saving any payroll.

Any reports on Durbins defense? If he is a plus defender, this makes more sense.

[shanedog19]

Don't know anything about Durbin, but Cortes is an awesome addition to the starting rotation. I like how the rotation is setting up, especially with the prospect of Woody returning as well.

[owbc]

Half of me sees Williams as a perfect fit for the Yankees following in the footsteps of Rivera with one historically good pitch.

The other half of me thinks his personality and the big media market are going to clash.

I like the move for us, I was ready to thank Devin for his service and move on, regardless of the economics. 

[ecjimg]

4 minutes ago, BallFour said:

 

Durbin in an ideal world would be Monasterio's replacement. Really hope it’s not going to be the Oliver Dunn and Caleb Durbin show at 3B.

 

Agree.  Black should be the starter He’s not Braun-like bad there

[Redd Vencher]

Cortes' 7.8 fWAR over the last 3 seasons is in the top 30 of SP in baseball over that span in 396.0 IP. That's a 3.3 FWAR/170 IP in that span. 

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Definitely seems like a bet on Durbin with Nestor the throw-in.

For one year of Devin, the Crew gets an MLB-ready infielder who seems like a good fit.

Obviously, there are question marks, but the Devin's value for next year is basically fixed. Our return value is variable, but looks like it should certainly exceed what we gave up, maybe even next year. I think it's definitely better than keeping Devin + draft pick, especially when you consider how well we do at finding, developing, and improving relievers.

Gonna trust the FO on this one. I see the thinking, and they've earned it.

[umphrey]

9 minutes ago, wildcat2237 said:

The guy has a .404 minor league OBP (Elite). Add in speed, a good glove, and a tad bit of pop. I am just trying to figure out why the heck this guy was not on prospects lists. I guess because he has been a bit old for each level. 

He may not be a superstar, but I will take a Sal Frelick at 3b. Cheap, fast, good OBP. 

He’s considered kind of a breakout player. His pedigree isn’t there and he didn’t do much prior to 2023 and then improved further in 2024. Sounds like he was going to climb lists post 2024 performance, but still wouldn’t be pushing top 100 lists for most people. Main concerns are his size and I read something about underlying metrics like exit velocity potentially being a red flag for his 2024 year, but I don’t know too much details. 

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

4 minutes ago, shanedog19 said:

Don't know anything about Durbin, but Cortes is an awesome addition to the starting rotation. I like how the rotation is setting up, especially with the prospect of Woody returning as well.

I'm sure the Yankees look at him as an upgrade, but Cortes has very similar career numbers to Max Fried, who just signed the biggest deal ever handed to a left-handed starter.

[kxm]

Doesn't it feel like this trade maintains the competitive window while opening up additional possibilities. One, if Cortes continues to pitch as he has over the last few seasons, Milwaukee should get an additional comp pick. Two, Black is now a realistic trade chip. Good to have extend options. 

[Redd Vencher]

ZIPs is projecting Durbin for a 92 OPS+ for 2025. (.231/.321/.361/.682 with a .253 BABIP) Steamer is projecting a 100 wRC+. (.243/.327/.364/.691 with a .266 BABIP) 

[CheeseheadInQC]

10 minutes ago, BallFour said:

Monasterio had 1 sb a .411 babip and a 28.5 strikeout rate 

Durbin had 29 sb a .297 babip and a 9.9 strikeout rate

I get your point. to me ones wRC+ seems more translatable than the other.

Durbin in an ideal world would be Monasterio's replacement. Really hope its not going to be the Oliver Dunn and Caleb Durbin show at 3B.

The one caveat I see is Durbin did kind of earn that BABIP (lots of pop ups). He was also a D-3 guy who had just reached Rule 5 eligibility, while Monasterio was about to reach minor league free agency and spent most of that year in double-A.

[OldHeidelberg]

Like others have said I wanted Devin gone, I am just one of those guys who won't ever forget that 3 run homer. A good lefty starter and a prospect just fine with me.

[homer]

4 minutes ago, kxm said:

Doesn't it feel like this trade maintains the competitive window while opening up additional possibilities. One, if Cortes continues to pitch as he has over the last few seasons, Milwaukee should get an additional comp pick. Two, Black is now a realistic trade chip. Good to have extend options. 

Welcome to the board!

[adambr2]

27 minutes ago, wildcat2237 said:

I highly doubt Durbin amounts to nothing.

The guy has speed, a glove, and elite OBP skills. If even some of the OBP skills translate then he is a useful piece. Yankees fans are not thrilled with losing him. 

I’m just saying, that’s almost a carbon copy scouting report for Black a year ago. Maybe not so much on the glove.

I guess my main point is that MLB is a different level of competition than he’s ever seen before. Some guys make the transition just fine, but unless you’re talking about an elite, top end prospect, you can’t really know if they will until they start getting their feet wet.

[Brewcrew82]

Just now, Redd Vencher said:

ZIPs is projecting Durbin for a 92 OPS+ for 2025. (.231/.321/.361/.682 with a .253 BABIP) Steamer is projecting a 100 wRC+. (.243/.327/.364/.691 with a .266 BABIP) 

That's actually not too bad considering they tend to be more on the conservative side. 

His eye at the plate definitely gives him a solid floor. 

[liveforoctober]

Can't wait to see Cortes with a full beard.

[Joseph Zarr]

Good counterpoint to Durbin by Jack here:

 

[Outlander]

The two series in July against the Dodgers should be more interesting with Cortes on the team at least.

[wildcat83]

I won't miss Williams, he was one of my least favorite Brewers players.  I just had a hard time liking him which says a lot because of how good he was.  Glad to get a rotation piece.  I think Durbin is a coin flip, but would think he projects as a bench piece at minimum given the extremely low strike out rate.

[Playing Catch]

Played some CF, too... Locally Sourced Arizona Fall League Notes: Tre’ Morgan’s Skills, Caleb Durbin Branches Out | FanGraphs Baseball

Considering the one year remaining on Cortes, maybe they flip him for someone else? I like him and all, and presuming health, he probably pitches well enough for a QO, but I dunno. Seems like they could flip him for a guy with more club control, too.

[Brewcrew82]

8 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Good counterpoint to Durbin by Jack here:

 

Hope is that his pull rate can counteract his lack of pop. 

But, yeah, those EV #s are almost identical to Sal Frelick's. 

[liveforoctober]

Last season:

Player A: 11-10, 3.25 ERA, 29 GS, 174.1 IP, 166 SO, 1.164 WHIP

Player B: 9-10, 3.77 ERA, 30 GS, 174.1 IP, 162 SO, 1.153 WHIP

[jay87shot]

I am still holding out hope that there is more to this. It seems like we are selling low. I get that Nestor has had some good seasons and has some ability to be a top of the rotation guy like 21 and 22 but he seems to have regressed. Looking at last year his fastball (92mph) and cutter were good but his sweeper and changeup were negatives so maybe we can do our magic there. I am sure I will warm up to Durbin but he seems like the 3rd piece we should get a team like the Yankees to throw in based on prospect status. There is a lot to like in te stats, especially the higher bb than k's. I just really am picturing an Oliver Dunn type player who at 5'6" is likely a 2B (sorry stereotyping him based on size). I guess I was really looking for someone to dream on here and it's really meh. If Nestor is good enough to turn down a QO and get us a comp pick this is fine but it doesn't seem like selling high for sure.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Just now, liveforoctober said:

Last season:

Player A: 11-10, 3.25 ERA, 29 GS, 174.1 IP, 166 SO, 1.164 WHIP

Player B: 9-10, 3.77 ERA, 30 GS, 174.1 IP, 162 SO, 1.153 WHIP

Fried compared to Cortes, against what is probably inferior hitting competition and in more pitcher-friendly stadiums. Fried has more of a track record, obviously, but the two compare pretty favorably. And Fried just signed a MASSIVE deal.