Question: Would you be willing to trade Bryson Stott to land an elite closer like Devin Williams?

Devin Williams for Bryson Stott? The Philadelphia Phillies are in the market for a reliable closer, and one of the best arms in baseball might be up for grabs but it might take Dave Dombrowski giving up Bryson Stott to get the deal done.

The Milwaukee Brewers just made a big decision on Devin Williams, declining his $10.5 million club option for 2025. But before you start imagining the All-Star closer leaving Milwaukee, Williams still isn’t going anywhere…yet.

With one final arbitration year left, the Brewers keep him under team control. It’s a smart, cost-saving move that has some interesting implications for the Brewers’ offseason strategy. Williams signed a one-year, $7.25 million deal with Milwaukee last offseason, which included that 2025 option to cover his last arbitration year.

If Devin Williams stayed healthy, the Brewers would almost certainly pick up the option. But things got tricky when Williams spent the first four months of the 2024 season on the IL with stress fractures in his back. He returned for just 22 appearances, but they were classic Williams: 14 saves, a microscopic 1.25 ERA, and a jaw-dropping 43.2% strikeout rate.

Because of his limited playing time, Devin Williams’ arbitration salary is expected to be less than the $10.5 million his option would have cost. By declining it, Milwaukee saves some cash while still keeping him on the roster. Williams will also get a $250,000 buyout on top of his arbitration salary for 2025—a win-win for Milwaukee’s payroll.

General Manager Matt Arnold summed it up, saying, “Devin Williams will go through the [arbitration] process like others.”

But that process could turn interesting, as Williams will be a free agent after 2025, making him a prime trade chip. With Milwaukee’s small-market constraints, he’s either an offseason trade candidate or a big asset at the 2025 trade deadline.

Zachary D. Rymer from Bleacher Report recently highlighted the Phillies as an ideal landing spot for Williams, even crafting a hypothetical trade that would send second baseman Bryson Stott to Milwaukee.

Phillies listed as top landing spot for Devin Williams:

The Brewers declined Devin Williams' club option for 2025, so we've ranked his Top 10 landing spots if he's traded 👀 @zachrymer pic.twitter.com/HE0LXrbEFR

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) November 6, 2024

While it might sting to part with a key starter and fan favorite in Bryson Stott, Rymer argues that he could be the perfect fit for the Brewers, especially with his strong defensive skills and speed—two things Milwaukee values highly.

Trading for a closer isn’t new for the Phillies, who brought in Carlos Estevez midseason last year after failing to find a consistent closer early on.

Giving up additional assets after an already costly trade deadline might seem risky, but Williams’ talent could make the Phillies think twice. The 30-year-old closer is as reliable as they come, posting elite strikeout numbers and consistently locking down games.

Last season, the Brewers went 18-4 in games where Williams pitched, with only one loss traceable to him. Sure, there was that memorable three-run bomb from Pete Alonso in the playoffs, but since his breakout in the shortened 2020 season, Williams has been among the best.

No, I will not be posting that video because it will only give you recency bias against Williams.

Now, what about Bryson Stott?

Losing Stott would be tough, but the Phillies might feel it’s a price worth paying for Williams. After a breakout 2023, Stott’s production dipped last season, hitting just .245 with a .315 OBP, a regression that has some questioning his long-term role. While the Phillies have been rumored to consider moving Alec Bohm, Rymer’s take suggests they may be just as willing to part with Stott if the return is right.

In the end, adding Devin Williams would bring stability to a bullpen that struggled to nail down a consistent closer last season. And with the Phillies eyeing another deep playoff run, a reliable late-inning arm like Williams could make all the difference, even if it means saying goodbye to a young starter like Stott.

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