All-Star Devin Williams Thought He Was Being Traded to Dodgers Before Yankees ‘Snuck in There’

The Los Angeles Dodgers were one of the teams interested in adding right-handed reliever Devin Williams via a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers this offseason. However, the New York Yankees swooped in and added Williams in a three-player trade last week.

The trade to New York came as a surprise to many — including Williams, himself. Williams said Tuesday at his introductory Zoom presser that he thought he was heading to Los Angeles.

“I kinda thought I’d be going to L.A.,” Williams said. “That was what I was being told. And the Yankees snuck in there under the table and got the deal done.”

While it was reported that the Dodgers were interested in adding Williams, it was unclear how close they were to making it happen. Based on Williams’ comments, though, it seemed to be very close to coming to fruition.

Williams, 30, is one of the best relievers in the league. The two-time All-Star, nicknamed The Airbender due to his devastating changeup, has a career 1.83 ERA across 235.2 innings pitched. In 22 appearances last season, Williams had a 1.25 ERA with 38 strikeouts over 21.2 innings pitched.

Williams would have been a perfect trade target for L.A. Last month, Dodgers Nation proposed the team trade Gavin Lux and two pitching prospects to Milwaukee for Williams. Considering the package he went for — left-handed starter Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin — that type of package likely could have swayed Milwaukee to complete a deal.

Instead, though, Williams is now in New York, and the Dodgers are left to look elsewhere for relief help.

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