The New York Mets have made a significant move to strengthen their bullpen by signing former Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees reliever Devin Williams to a three-year contract valued at up to $50 million. This decision, announced on Monday night, comes at a crucial time as the team navigates uncertainties surrounding their pitching lineup, especially with star closer Edwin Diaz still available on the open market.
Williams, who had a challenging 2025 season, posted a career-high ERA of 4.79 over 62 innings with the Yankees. This performance included four blown saves, leading to a loss of his closer role. Despite these struggles, the Mets have identified potential in Williams, evidenced by his impressive career ERA of 1.83 prior to his stint in New York.
Strategic Implications of the Signing
The Mets’ acquisition of Williams does not preclude them from pursuing Diaz, suggesting that the team envisions him in a setup role should they retain their star closer. David Stearns, the Mets’ president of baseball operations, has a history with Williams from his time with the Brewers, where he played a crucial role in developing the reliever’s talent.
Stearns attempted to bolster the bullpen during the previous trade deadline by targeting Ryan Helsley from the St. Louis Cardinals, but that effort did not yield the desired results. Helsley struggled during his brief tenure in New York and has since signed with the Baltimore Orioles. The Mets are aiming for a strong one-two punch in the late innings, allowing manager Carlos Mendoza to utilize left-handed reliever Brooks Raley more strategically. Should AJ Minter bounce back from his recent surgery, the late-game situation could become considerably more secure.
Assessing Williams’ Potential
There is a degree of risk involved in this investment, particularly if Diaz does not return to the Mets. In that scenario, the opportunity for Williams to reclaim a prominent closing position would be significant. Analysts will be watching closely to see if he can turn around the disappointing numbers from last season. Notably, despite his struggles, Williams maintained an expected batting average (xBA) of .195, placing him in the 96th percentile of Major League Baseball. His chase rate and strikeout rate also ranked impressively high, at 35% and 34.7%, respectively, both in the 97th percentile and above.
In the final stretch of the previous season, Williams appeared to find his footing, not allowing a run in his last 13 appearances, accumulating 16 strikeouts against just four walks over 13 innings. This late-season stability may offer the Mets a glimmer of hope that Williams can return to his previous form.
As this story unfolds, it will be intriguing to see how the Mets integrate Williams into their bullpen strategy and whether they can secure Diaz’s return to solidify their late-game options. For ongoing updates and analyses regarding the Mets and Williams, readers can visit AMNY.com.
