Exploring Trade Partners For Devin Williams: Kansas City Royals

Why They Need Him
By all accounts, the Royals exceeded expectations in 2024. After being one of the worst teams in baseball and mustering just 56 wins in 2023, they cobbled together 86 wins. They managed to squeeze into the postseason, overcoming the 91-win Orioles in the Wild Card round before ultimately falling to the Yankees in four games. With the second-largest increase in total attendance year-over-year and a bonafide superstar in the form of Bobby Witt Jr., the club is setting itself up to become perennial playoff contenders for at least the next few years.

The biggest change was a major improvement to their pitching staff. In 2023, the team’s combined ERA was 5.17, 28th in MLB. After beefing up the rotation with Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, and a full season of Cole Ragans, their combined ERA surged to 3.74, eighth in MLB. Now that Wacha has signed a three-year extension and younger pitchers Brady Singer and Alec Marsh have started to take meaningful steps forward, their starters are some of the best in baseball.

The bullpen is a totally different story. The Royals had a bullpen ERA of 4.13, 21st in MLB. Notable World Series ring collector Will Smith was signed to a one-year deal to be their primary closer but was terrible, losing the job after posting a 10.61 ERA in his first month as a Royal. He was replaced by James McArthur, who experienced similar consistency issues and finished the season with a 4.92 ERA. The instability at the back of the bullpen would have spelled the end of their season if not for Lucas Erceg, a trade deadline acquisition from the Athletics. Their other relievers are similarly unremarkable, with the exception of John Schreiber, a serviceable bullpen arm with a 3.66 ERA over 51 ⅔ innings.

With a dominant closer like Williams, this team could have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. After all, they aren’t losing any core pieces to free agency, and with a lineup that’s only getting better, patching up the critical weaknesses in the bullpen seems like the highest priority item on their next path to October.

What They Have to Offer
As is typical of many baseball trades, one team forgoes potential future success for present value. There isn’t a player on the active roster that both the Brewers and the Royals would be willing to part with, so it makes sense to look to the farm system instead for a preliminary return package for Williams.

The Royals have two MLB Top 100 prospects: 1B Jac Caglianone (#17) and C Blake Mitchell (#51). Both are enticing names but are far from making the big leagues, with their anticipated debuts set for 2026 and 2027, respectively. Additionally, trading a top 100 prospect with full team control for one year of a reliever may not be prudent for the Royals.

A closer look at the Royals' top prospects shows a wealth of pitching talent. The Brewers have a respectable arm barn of their own but are notably lacking lefties. Of their 12 pitchers in the top 30, Robert Gasser is the only left-handed hurler. David Shields is an intriguing option if the Brewers want to pursue a younger prospect with a high upside and a lower guarantee. Scouts describe him as having a plus-fastball and slider with excellent athleticism and strong command for a 2024 draft pick. He likely won't be parted with, but Frank Mozzicato (3.45 ERA, 22 starts in High-A) and Noah Cameron (2.32 ERA, nine starts in Triple-A) are other lefty options with strong characteristics that are closer to debuting and likely more expendable.

Position player-wise, the Brewers' major-league squad and farm system are well-rounded. Still, there could be some opportunity for depth on the left side of the infield, especially with Willy Adames potentially leaving in free agency. Milwaukee does have Cooper Pratt, and Jesus Made coming down the pike, but in the interim, Nick Loftin posted good enough numbers in Triple-A Omaha to get some major-league playing time last year and could fill the gap. Other high-performing hitters that could add more general depth are outfielder Drew Waters and first baseman Brett Squires.

There’s a lot to like about the Royals as a trade partner. They’re close enough to a deep playoff run to be willing to pay a higher price for someone like Williams. Other teams still quite a few pieces away from being contenders will prioritize longer-term options, whereas one year of Williams could make a big difference for Kansas City. He likely won’t come cheap, but it’s up to the Brewers to ensure he doesn’t walk for any less than he’s worth.