D-backs Had Interest In Devin Williams Prior To Yankees Trade

The Diamondbacks are identified to be looking out for high-leverage choices within the bullpen — normal supervisor Mike Hazen has stated as a lot on file — and so they spoke to the Brewers a few potential deal for Devin Williams earlier than Milwaukee traded him to the Yankees, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports activities 98.7 experiences.

On the one hand, it’s fully unsurprising {that a} group searching for a leverage arm would throw its hat into the ring with regard to Williams. On the opposite, it’s no less than tangentially notable, given the variety of equally priced late-inning arms available on the market. If the Snakes had been making an attempt to have interaction the Brewers on Williams, it stands to cause that Cardinals nearer Ryan Helsley, Rays nearer Pete Fairbanks and maybe Houston’s Ryan Pressly are all of various ranges of curiosity. (At $14MM, Pressly prices considerably greater than the opposite listed choices, it must be famous.)

The bullpen market, not like in lots of latest offseasons, has been sluggish to develop this winter. That might be partially because of the presence of names like Williams, Helsley, Fairbanks and Pressly (amongst others) all doubtlessly being out there. Up to now, the one signings of word have been Aroldis Chapman (one yr, $10.75MM to the Purple Sox), Blake Treinen (two years, $22MM again to the Dodgers), Yimi Garcia (two years, $15MM again to the Blue Jays) and Jordan Romano (one yr, $8.5MM to the Phillies). Not one of the market’s high relievers have come off the board, save for righty Clay Holmes, who signed a three-year deal to transform to a beginning function with the Mets.

After final week’s Winter Conferences drew to an in depth, D-backs normal supervisor Mike Hazen advised Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that each free agent and commerce eventualities are nonetheless in play. Arizona didn’t full any offers ultimately week’s occasion, however Hazen expressed confidence that the groundwork for future transactions was laid.

“There’s free-agent conditions and commerce conditions which can be each on the market for all of the areas that we’re taking a look at,” stated Hazen, who can be on the lookout for assist at first base. “Looking for what combos go collectively in several methods is a part of what we’re discussing proper now.”

The highest names nonetheless on the free agent market embrace Tanner Scott, Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez. All determine to command multi-year offers, with Scott particularly standing an opportunity at touchdown 4 years. That kind of contract size might be a difficulty for the D-backs. Underneath Hazen, they’ve by no means signed a free agent reliever for greater than two years and by no means gone larger than a $7MM annual worth (as proven in MLBTR’s Contract Tracker). The market has loads of intriguing one-year choices as effectively, although any of David Robertson, Kirby Yates or Kenley Jansen would require pushing effectively previous that $7MM highwater mark.