Devin Williams Heads to Queens: Mets Land Former Yankees Reliever on Bold Three-Year Deal
Devin Williams is officially headed to Flushing, and the Mets just made one of the most intriguing bullpen moves of the offseason.
The deal is done: three years, north of $50 million, no opt-outs, no options, no safety nets. The Mets are betting big on the right-hander with the wicked changeup - and they’re not alone in thinking he can still be one of the most dominant arms in the game.
It’s a full-circle moment for Williams, whose 2024 season was a roller coaster that started with a thud and ended with redemption. Mets fans will remember it well - it was Pete Alonso who took Williams deep in a game that felt like it cracked the Brewers’ closer wide open.
That swing, loud and defining, marked a turning point in Williams’ season. The Yankees acquired him not long after, hoping to revive his confidence and command.
And to their credit, they did. Slowly but surely, Williams found his rhythm again in the Bronx.
The Airbender - that signature, physics-defying changeup - started dancing late in the year like it used to. By September, he was trusted in high-leverage spots again.
Not just surviving, but thriving.
Now, the Mets are reaping the rewards of that late-season resurgence. Or at least, they’re paying for it.
This isn’t a “prove-it” deal. This is a closer’s contract - elite money for a reliever they expect to be a difference-maker.
Whether he’s pitching the eighth or the ninth, Williams is being paid like a bullpen cornerstone. That raises one big question: what does this mean for Edwin Díaz?
Díaz, of course, remains the presumed closer in Queens - assuming he stays. But if the Mets are willing to hand out $50 million to another high-leverage arm, it’s fair to wonder if they’re preparing for a bullpen with two closers. Or perhaps just one, and a new one at that.
Either way, the Mets are leaning all the way into their win-now mindset. Steve Cohen’s front office has made a habit of targeting former Yankees - Juan Soto, Clay Holmes, Frankie Montas, Luis Severino, and now Williams. Whether it’s coincidence or strategy, the trend is clear: if you’ve worn pinstripes and still have upside, the Mets are interested.
But this isn’t about sticking it to the Yankees. This is about building a bullpen that can withstand the chaos of a 162-game season and still be standing tall in October. And Williams, when he’s on, is exactly that kind of arm.
Still, he’s walking into a pressure cooker. Mets fans don’t wear pinstripes, but they wear their hearts on their sleeves.
They’ve been through too many false dawns to hand out blind faith. Williams may have earned back some trust in the Bronx, but Flushing is a different beast.
One blown save in a tight NL East race and the honeymoon is over.
That said, he’s got the stuff to handle it. The Airbender isn’t just a nickname - it’s a weapon.
When it’s right, it makes hitters look foolish. His fastball-changeup combo, when commanded, is as nasty as anything in the game.
If he can stay healthy and consistent, the Mets just added a legitimate game-changer to the back end of their bullpen.
The bigger picture? This deal signals that the Mets aren’t done.
Not with spending, not with chasing, and certainly not with trying to close the gap in a division that features the Braves, Phillies, and a whole lot of firepower. Whether or not Díaz returns, whether or not another former Yankee crosses the East River, the message is clear: the Mets are all in.
Now it’s on Devin Williams to make sure that investment pays off - and to prove that his late-season resurgence wasn’t just a blip, but a turning point.
Welcome to Queens, Devin. The Airbender has landed.