The Mets have acquired a solid reliever who’s aware of the challenges ahead.
Devin Williams, a player experienced in both closing and set-up roles, expressed hope, much like many Mets fans, for the chance to help secure game victories. He’s also keen for Edwin Diaz to join the team’s bullpen.
“I think this is just a good situation,” Williams mentioned during an introductory video chat. “If he comes back, I believe we’ll have a really strong back end of the bullpen. More good arms are always beneficial.”
The Mets feel Williams is a good addition to the team, having signed him to a three-year, $51 million deal. His history with General Manager David Stearns is strong, though his past in New York has had its ups and downs.
Originally from Missouri, Williams was drafted by the Brewers in 2013 and hadn’t experienced life in a big city until he moved from Milwaukee to the Bronx last season.
His last year was tumultuous.
In his three seasons with the Brewers prior, he maintained a remarkable 1.66 ERA, allowing just 26 earned runs. However, during his 2025 season with the Yankees, his ERA skyrocketed to 4.79 with 33 earned runs.
By late April, he had lost his closer position, and the rough patches continued into July and August, where he learned to cope with fans’ jeers.
Things took a turn when he showed up to spring training in Tampa sporting a beard he wasn’t keen on shaving, effectively becoming the face of the Yankees’ new beard policy.
Reflecting on his setbacks during the season, Williams identified issues as manageable rather than blaming external factors.
“I believe there were many factors—some mechanical, some about pitch selection,” he shared. “Looking back, I want to use these reflections to prepare for the next season.”
Williams acknowledged the adjustment period with the Yankees and New York but shared that he’s begun to feel “familiar now.”
He remembered taking the subway to a Yankees game, but now he may need to familiarize himself with the 7 train.
Despite the challenges, he demonstrated resilience, ending the 2025 season with a 13-game scoreless streak, including four games in the postseason.
“I feel at home here,” Williams said about New York.
He also expressed satisfaction with Stearns, who previously worked as president of baseball operations in Milwaukee, and was excited about enhancing his pitching skills.
Williams has gained recognition as one of the game’s top relievers, achieving 14.29 strikeouts per nine innings and a 2.38 ERA from 2020 to 2025. According to FanGraphs, he ranks as the third most valuable reliever, following Emmanuel Clase and Diaz, thanks to his unique changeup—affectionately called “The Airbender”—and a fastball that sits in the mid-90s.
Though both he and Diaz remained elite pitchers last season with whiff rates above 37%, their effectiveness in terms of revenue wasn’t quite matched.
While no home runs were hit against his pitch in 2024, last season saw a .341 slugging percentage against his changeup, with five home runs allowed (not counting a critical playoff shot by Pete Alonso).
Additionally, he noticed an uptick in batting average against his fastballs, rising from .111 to .204.
Williams is considering diversifying his skill set. He mentioned he’s “playing around” with a cutter, which he barely utilized last season, and looks to introduce a new hard slider.
“I’m thinking about incorporating those into my repertoire and seeing if it offers me some extra space with my fastball and changeup,” he elaborated, noting he feels the need to expand his pitching arsenal.
With more tools at his disposal and a knack for adjusting on the fly, it’s clear why the Mets committed $51 million to a reliever coming off a rough season, who might not necessarily take the closer role.
As for why he selected the Mets over other interested teams, Williams said, “They are a team that wants to win, right? Steve [Cohen] is doing everything possible to put a winning team on the field, and I want to be part of that.”
