Two days after Devin Williams of the Yankees blew a save against the Blue Jays on April 25, 2025, the Mets are adding another former Yankee through free agency. Devin Williams had a challenging year with the Yankees, unlike Juan Soto’s successful transition two years previously. Nevertheless, the experienced right-handed reliever is moving from the Bronx to Queens, securing a three-year contract with the Mets, as first disclosed by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
Williams lost his closing role with the Yankees after enduring the most difficult season of his career. He recorded a 4.79 ERA over 62 innings, compared to a previous 1.83 career ERA before 2025, tallying 18 saves and four blown saves.
However, the 31-year-old has a connection with Mets president of baseball operations, David Stearns, who was instrumental in Williams’ rise to a star closer during their time together at the Milwaukee Brewers. Stearns is evidently optimistic about Williams’ capabilities, bolstered by analytics that indicate he can still be a formidable presence at the end of a rotation.
Despite a poor season, Williams’ expected batting average (xBA) was .195, placing him in MLB’s 96th percentile. His 35% chase rate and 34.7% strikeout rate were in the 97th percentile, while his 37.7% whiff rate was in the 99th percentile.
The full impact of this signing on the Mets’ bullpen remains unclear, with significant questions still surrounding it. Star closer Edwin Diaz is a free agent, and Stearns has consistently shown interest in re-signing him. It is believed that signing Williams will not hamper the Mets’ efforts to reunite with Diaz. Depending on how things unfold, Williams may serve as a set-up man in Queens going forward.
This move marks the first major step in addressing a bullpen that lacked depth and faltered as the 2025 season progressed, running out of steam and needing more talent ahead of Diaz.
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