Rumored Yankees-Devin Williams reunion talks are a genuine mind-bender

Is it possible that, after a fraught summer, Devin Williams' triumphant Yankees ending wasn't really the end after all? According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, the Yankees could be as tantalized by Williams' bounce-back potential as the rest of the league is, hungry to take him away from the pressure-filled place where his surface numbers didn't match the metrics.

"The Yankees and the camp for free agent late-inning reliever Devin Williams recently discussed the potential for a possible reunion, league sources said," Rosenthal penned on Thursday and, as brutal as Williams' season began, his return could mean great things for the remainder of the offseason. Of course, it could also mean uncertainty in the bullpen, given the number of question marks currently present and Williams' 2025 roller coaster ride (and rumored desire to sign closer to the midwest this offseason).

Trent Grisham's return on the one-year qualifying offer felt like a worrisome payroll chunk being inadvertently eaten. The ball being placed in Grisham's court made the situation seem out of the Yankees' control, even though they offered him the option in the first place. It was easy to convince ourselves in the wake of the move that the Yankees hadn't planned for this, and even if they gritted their teeth and stretched their payroll to absorb Cody Bellinger later down the line, they'd cut themselves off there without improving their pitching staff.

But if the Yankees also voluntarily sign Williams to what will likely be a multi-year deal at a $15 million-ish AAV? That should be the canary in the coal mine that signals their willingness to not only top a $300 million budget, but blow right past it.

Yankees' potential Devin Williams reunion could mean the budget is exploding

There's a way to clump Grisham and Bellinger together on a "run it back" budget and still clear salary. There's no way to shave money off of a roster that includes hefty paydays for Grisham, Bellinger and Williams.

If the Yankees reunite with Williams, there's also no logical reason for them to stop there.

Of course, the counter is that Hal Steinbrenner is often logic-free. He seems to feel no pressure to go above and beyond during the limited window of Aaron Judge's prime. During the 2019-20 offseason, he signed Gerrit Cole to an all-in mega-deal, then stopped signing MLB free agents almost immediately, kneecapping his team's chances long before the season began (and it ended up being a 60-gamer, to add insult to injury).

Williams ended 2025 on a high note, but Yankee fans were fully prepared to let him walk and see him thrive after striking out 90 men in 62 innings, objectively comprising the worst campaign of his life. If the Yankees suddenly became the team to bet on the bounce back, it would mean bullpen optimism, sure. But, more importantly, it would mean that the team has finally wised up and sees no limits to their pre-lockout flexing potential.

Probably. Probably. It might also mean that Brian Cashman has more of a budgetary allocation problem than we ever dreamed possible. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. And, speaking of bridge ... can we re-sign Luke Weaver, too?