BREAKING: Brewers GM spins Devin Williams trade to Yankees with 'belief' admission

Devin Williams ended his Milwaukee Brewers career by giving up the game-winning home run in a playoff game. Pete Alonso took him deep to take the lead in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series. The Mets went on to win that game and the series. The Brewers made some changes this offseason, trading Devin Williams to the New York Yankees. General Manager Matt Arnold is confident in the decision to trade Williams this offseason.

“Any time you’re making those types of moves, messaging is super important — especially in the clubhouse, because these guys are the fabric of your team,” Arnold told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. “In a lot of ways, it actually can be a bet on the players that are still currently there.

Arnold continues, “It’s not, ‘Hey, I don’t believe in these guys.’ It actually might mean that you believe more in some other guys [who] want and deserve that opportunity to move into that type of role. I don’t look at it always as a negative; a lot of times it’s an opportunity for young players to grow.”

The Brewers also lost Willy Adames this offseason. They are known to find cheap replacements and get the most out of them.

The Brewers can succeed despite the departures

New York Yankees relief pitcher Devin Williams (38) participates in spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. — Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Last year, the Brewers traded Corbin Burnes during spring training and still won the NL Central by ten games. Adames and Williams were key, but Jackson Churio and William Contreras are still there to lead the team. They have a keen eye for untapped potential, getting the most out of Tobias Myers and Brice Turang last year.

The Brewers are the small-market team that gives hope to the rest of the small-market fans in the league. With Churio and Christian Yelich on big-money deals, they have surrounded them with great, young talent. There are playoff demons they have to beat but the regular season has been great to them recently.

The Brewers did not sign anyone to replace Williams or Adames this offseason. They trust their development system to fill those important positions and get into the playoffs this season. But the NL Central is improving, namely the Cubs who added Kyle Tucker. The Reds and Pirates have great young talent as well, which could cut into the Brewers’ cushion in the NL Central.

Who will be the rising stars for the Brewers this season? Arnold is confident in his team to develop them and help the team this season.