Yankees Predicted to Lose All-Star Reliever
The New York Yankees have a number of key players set to reach free agency this offseason, including a pair of top relievers.
Luke Weaver is one member of that duo, and while he profiles as a clear candidate to return to the Yankees next season, the same can't confidently be said about Devin Williams.
Williams Forecast to Leave Yankees
While predicting whether each of the Yankees' pending free agents would stay or not, The Athletic's Brendan Kuty shared his belief that Williams will leave the franchise after spending just one season with them.
"Williams, 31, said all the right things on his way out the door about finally adjusting to New York City and feeling comfortable in pinstripes — in large part because he pitched well to finish an otherwise tumultuous season," Kuty wrote. "But it doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that if Williams were to struggle again next year with the Yankees, fans would be waiting to jump all over him, and he might regret his decision to stick around. Williams became the face (pun intended) of the Yankees’ decision to end their decades-long beard policy in spring training. That’ll be his biggest contribution to the franchise."
Williams' Rollercoaster Campaign
When the Yankees acquired Devin Williams via trade from the Milwaukee Brewers for Nestor Cortes Jr. and Caleb Durbin last offseason, the expectation was that they were acquiring one of the game's elite closers who would be a sure thing at the end of games.
After all, Williams was a two-time All-Star and two-time National League Reliever of the Year during his time with the Brewers. For one reason or another, he simply never settled into a true groove under the bright lights in New York.
The right-hander posted ERAs of 9.00 and 4.22 during April and May, respectively, before finally turning in a shutdown month with a 0.93 ERA over 9 2/3 innings in June.
Williams' struggles resurfaced during July and August, however, as he posted ERAs of 5.73 and 4.91 in those two months, respectively, before getting back on track with a 3.72 ERA in September.
During the postseason, he did not allow an earned run across four innings and four appearances.
In total, Williams finished the year with a 4.79 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 62 innings while blowing four saves, marking the worst campaign of his MLB career up to this point.
While Williams certainly got unlucky (2.68 FIP), the Yankees may feel as though he ran his course with the club and look elsewhere for bullpen reinforcements as a result.
Predicting every pre-bye Bengals game after Joe Flacco's stellar debut
The Cincinnati Bengals had to be encouraged about what they saw from quarterback Joe Flacco in his debut this past Sunday. Although the result was a 27-18 road loss in Green Bay, Flacco didn't flinch when the Bengals were shut out at halftime.
It's a big ask for Flacco to turn around on Thursday night and knock off the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers in prime time — or so it would seem. Flacco has as much familiarity squaring off with Mike Tomlin as any opposing head coach in the NFL, thanks to all his years of matchups in Baltimore.
So bearing that insider knowledge of the general Tomlin-Steelers vibe, and the fact that Flacco will have plenty of prep time for the subsequent game, I thought it'd be fun to dream up how the Bengals might fare before their Week 10 bye with some predictions before
Week 7 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (TNF)
Too bad this piece didn't go up before Week 6, because with the football gods as my witness, I predicted a 27-17 Green Bay victory. So it wasn't a total shock when the Bengals came out flat at Lambeau Field. Flacco had driven down I-71 from Cleveland mere hours before the team traveled.
Anyway, on the Steelers: Are we sure they're that good? They needed approx. 1,765 fumbles by the Patriots to win by seven points in Week 3. They beat the Carson Wentz-led Vikings by a few points across the pond before their bye.
If you look at the common opponents between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, you'd not only see Minnesota, but also Flacco's ex-team, DAAA Browns. The Steelers just beat them by 14, whereas the Joe Burrow-led Bengals only won by a point in Cleveland in the season opener.
I just have a weird feeling about this one. Trey Hendrickson's back injury looms large. However, if Flacco can get the offense in a bit of a better spot than it was versus the Packers, Cincinnati has enough playmakers, desperation, and a home-field advantage to pull a stunner to kick off Week 7.
Prediction: Bengals 24, Steelers 14
Week 8 vs. New York Jets
Three extra days to prepare for the 0-6 New York Football Jets? They who employ a starting QB who cannot throw the football or read a defense fast enough in Justin Fields? They who have a defensive head coach in Aaron Glenn, yet can't stop a soul?
And it's at Paycor Stadium! To quote Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton in Avengers: Endgame, "Don't. Don't give me hope."
Because I tell you what. Don't let Joe Cool get
Yes, the Bengals are losers of four straight. I just get the sense that a win over the Squealers could really galvanize this locker room into beating the snot out of Gang Green the following week.
Prediction: Bengals 31, Jets 10
Week 9 vs. Chicago Bears
And that brings us to yet another home game. For those keeping track with advanced data at home, I believe that's three consecutive hosting gigs for the Bengals?
And could this stretch of gettable games possibly come at a better time? I contend no. All the more reason to applaud Duke Tobin and the front office for going to get Flacco. Zac Taylor had a hand in that too, but OOF imagine if we were still rolling with Jake Browning.
Anyway, Bears head coach Ben Johnson can coach circles around Taylor when it comes to scheme. The question is, can Johnson's still-developing field general Caleb Williams execute well enough?
My concern here is more to do with Cincinnati's 28th-ranked run defense. Chicago has the high-end personnel in its offensive trenches to handle the Bengals' front seven.
Neither of these teams are defensively sound relative to the best units across the league. Expect a high-scoring weird one, where the Bengals force Williams into a boneheaded mistake that proves to be the difference.
