Yankees step aside while Mets grab Devin Williams for $51M, 3 years

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NEW YORK — The Yankees had their Devin Williams chance. They talked to his camp. They discussed a reunion.

Then they switched off allowing their crosstown rivals swooped in and grabbed him.

Devin Williams is now a Met.

The two-time All-Star closer agreed to a three-year contract with New York’s other baseball team on Monday night. The deal guarantees $51 million, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Williams receives $45 million in salary plus a $6 million signing bonus with $15 million in deferrals.

The move marks the second consecutive offseason the Mets have poached a major Yankees free agent. Last winter, they landed Juan Soto. Now they have the pitcher the Yankees traded Nestor Cortes and top prospect Caleb Durbin to acquire just 12 months ago.

Why the Yankees let Williams walk

“It’s just hard to believe that the guy who was arguably the best closer in the game for the last four years wasn’t gonna figure it out at some point over the course of 162 (games),” according to Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake. “I just felt like, at some point, Devin Williams was gonna show up here, because he’s done it for too long to not have it surface if he’s healthy.”

The Yankees never extended a qualifying offer to Williams. That decision alone spoke volumes. A $22.025 million one-year deal would have kept him in the Bronx. Instead, the front office passed.

Williams posted the worst season of his career in pinstripes. His 4.79 ERA in 67 appearances was a far cry from the 1.83 mark he carried during six seasons in Milwaukee. He allowed 37 runs in 2025 after giving up just 33 combined from 2022 to 2024.

Manager Aaron Boone stripped him of the closer role in late April after an 11.25 ERA through his first eight innings. Williams blew saves against Toronto and Tampa Bay. The Yankee Stadium crowd booed him relentlessly.

A hamstring injury to Luke Weaver gave Williams a second chance in June. He converted 13 straight save opportunities through July. Then the wheels fell off again. Five consecutive games allowing runs. Two more blown saves. David Bednar took over after the trade deadline.

The numbers tell a different story

A group of 21 relievers made at least 30 appearances in 2025 without starting a game. Each of them carried a strikeout rate above 30 percent and a walk rate below 10 percent. Devin Williams was the worst in that group, claimed a CBS report adding that the closer finished with the highest ERA at 4.79. The rest of the pitchers combined for a 2.76 ERA. The next highest ERA in the set barely cleared 4.00. The numbers were unusual because Williams also ranked among the best at limiting hard contact. Only Josh Hader, Abner Uribe and one other reliever posted a lower hard-hit percentage. It showed how strange a single relief season can be. Nothing in the data points to any decline in Williams’ stuff.

But the Mets see something the Yankees apparently missed. Williams struck out 90 batters in 62 innings last season. His 2.68 FIP was more than two runs lower than his ERA. His expected ERA sat at 3.04.

His signature “airbender” changeup still generated a 37.3 percent whiff rate. Opponents hit just .194 against the pitch. The underlying metrics screamed bad luck, not decline.

Williams finished strong. Over his final nine regular season appearances, he allowed zero runs while striking out 12 in nine innings. He then threw four scoreless frames in the playoffs with four strikeouts.

“At first it was a challenge, but I’ve grown to love being here,” Williams said after the Yankees were eliminated. “I love this city. I love taking the train to the field every day.”

He will now take that train to a different stadium.

David Stearns gets his guy

The signing reunites Williams with Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns. Williams was still in the Brewers farm system when Stearns took over as general manager in September 2015. They remained in the same organization until Stearns left for the Mets two years ago. That long relationship almost certainly played a part in bringing Williams to Queens.

That relationship clearly influenced this deal. Stearns watched Williams develop into one of baseball’s most dominant relievers. He knows what the 31-year-old can do when right.

Williams won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2020 with a 0.33 ERA in 27 innings. He captured two Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year awards. Before arriving in New York, he was arguably the best closer in baseball.

Yankees bullpen problems multiply

The Yankees now face a bullpen crisis. Williams is gone. Luke Weaver hit free agency after struggling down the stretch. The relief corps that once looked dominant has scattered.

Brian Cashman’s decision to skip the qualifying offer means the Yankees receive no compensation draft pick. The Mets owe nothing to sign him. A clean loss.

The winter meetings begin December 8 in Orlando. Cashman must find answers fast. Names like Seranthony Dominguez, David Bednar, and Fernando Cruz remain available. But the best option just crossed town to Queens.

Can the Yankees afford Edwin Diaz?

The top closer on the market remains Edwin Diaz. MLB Trade Rumors projected him to sign a four-year, $82 million deal with the Yankees before the Williams signing. That prediction now faces new questions.

Diaz wants a deal close to the five-year, $102 million contract he signed with the Mets in 2022. He posted a 1.63 ERA with 28 saves and 98 strikeouts in 66.1 innings last season. His 38 percent strikeout rate ranked second among all MLB relievers behind only Mason Miller.

The Yankees carried a $304 million payroll last season. Hal Steinbrenner has signaled he wants to cut costs, not add to them. Adding a reliever seeking $20 million annually would require a major shift in philosophy.

Diaz has drawn interest from the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Tigers, and Giants. The Mets remain in the mix despite signing Williams. If the Yankees want Diaz, they will need to outbid multiple contenders who have deeper pockets or greater willingness to spend.

Mets still want Edwin Diaz too

Williams may not even close games for the Mets. The team remains interested in re-signing Edwin Diaz, who opted out of his contract last month. Sources told MLB.com that Williams is comfortable serving in a setup role if Diaz returns.

Diaz is expected to command nearly $100 million on the open market. The Mets could pair two elite relievers at the back of their bullpen. That depth would be a luxury the Yankees can only envy.

Steve Cohen’s spending shows no signs of slowing. The Mets took Soto. Now they have Williams. The Bronx keeps watching players head across town.

What this means for the Yankees

The Yankees traded Cortes and Durbin for one turbulent season of Williams. They got 67 appearances, a 4.79 ERA, and endless headaches. Now he belongs to their rivals.

If Williams rebounds to his All-Star form in Queens, this will sting for years. The Mets bet $51 million that last year was a fluke. The Yankees bet nothing and got exactly that in return.

The Airbender has a new home. The Yankees still has the old bullpen problem.

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

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