NEW YORK — In establishing his repute as an ace bullpen architect, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has lengthy sought high-octane stuff in relievers. Monday, he acquired one of the crucial potent arms within the sport.
Of their pursuit of an improved bullpen, the Mets agreed to a three-year, $45 million take care of free-agent reliever Devin Williams, in line with a number of sources. The deal features a $6 million signing bonus, which brings the full assure to $51 million, albeit with deferrals. The staff has but to verify the transfer as a result of it is not official.
The signing will carry Williams throughout city from the rival Yankees, the place he spent all final season.
Of be aware, a number of sources mentioned the Mets nonetheless have curiosity in re-signing incumbent nearer Edwin Díaz even after agreeing to phrases with Williams. The latter is snug serving in a setup function if the Mets do retain Díaz, in line with a kind of sources.
Williams didn’t obtain a qualifying provide from the Yankees, so there is no such thing as a Draft decide compensation connected to him, or penalty for signing him.
On the floor, Williams had the worst season of his profession in 2025. In 67 appearances after being dealt from the Brewers to the Yankees the prior December, the right-hander posted a 4.79 ERA. He had entered the 2025 marketing campaign with a profession ERA of 1.83 in six seasons with Milwaukee.
However a glance beneath the hood reveals that Williams truly had some dangerous luck final season. His FIP was greater than two runs decrease than his ERA, at 2.68. And his anticipated ERA was 3.04. The hard-hit fee in opposition to him — whereas a profession excessive — wasn’t alarmingly excessive, at 35.7%.
His signature “airbender” changeup was nonetheless efficient in 2025, although not fairly as dominant as in years previous — opponents hit .194 in opposition to the pitch final season and it generated a 37.3% whiff fee. It’s that pitch upon which Williams constructed his profession. It is usually that pitch that Pete Alonso famously hit for a go-ahead, three-run homer within the ninth inning of 2024 Wild Card Collection Sport 3. Williams hasn’t loved his ordinary ranges of success since that evening.
Primarily a two-pitch pitcher with a mid-90s four-seam fastball and the changeup, Williams used the changeup greater than the four-seamer final season, as he’s completed for many of his profession — 52.4% to 47.4%.
Williams’ outcomes towards the tip of the common season had been encouraging. Over his remaining 9 appearances, he didn’t surrender a run whereas strolling two and placing out 12 in 9 innings. The 2-time All-Star then appeared in 4 postseason video games for the Yankees, throwing 4 extra scoreless frames.
Throughout his seven-year Main League profession, Williams has been comparatively sturdy, outdoors of a 2024 season that noticed him miss important time attributable to stress fractures in his again. He made his season debut on July 28, and in 22 appearances the remainder of that season with Milwaukee, he posted a 1.25 ERA and struck out 43.2% of the batters he confronted.
A lot of Williams’ story in Queens will depend on the function by which he serves. If the Mets can re-acquire Díaz, who’s a free agent for the primary time in his profession, they’ll create one of many higher 1-2 bullpen punches within the recreation. Each the Mets and Díaz have expressed mutual curiosity in a reunion, however Díaz not too long ago assessed the percentages at “50-50.” He is in search of a multi-year deal on the open market.
