Devin Williams didn’t sign with the Mets to be a backup act - but the script has changed, and now he’s center stage.
When the Mets landed Williams in early December on a three-year, $51 million deal, the vision was clear: pair one of the game’s nastiest setup men with elite closer Edwin Díaz to form a dominant back-end bullpen duo. But with Díaz now in Dodger blue after opting out and signing a three-year, $69 million deal with Los Angeles, the Mets are turning to Williams to anchor the ninth inning.
And while some might be tempted to draw a straight line between Díaz’s departure and Williams’ promotion, the 31-year-old isn’t interested in comparisons.
“As far as comparing myself to somebody else, I’m not going to do that,” Williams said Sunday at Mets spring training in Port St. Lucie.
“I’m pretty good in my own right. I’m going to go out and be the best version of myself - that’s good enough.”
That’s not bravado - that’s a guy who knows what he brings to the mound. Williams has built his reputation on one of the most unhittable pitches in baseball: the “Airbender,” a changeup that seems to defy physics. He’s been dominant in high-leverage spots before, and he’s not shying away from the pressure that comes with closing games in New York.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza isn’t hesitating either. Asked directly if Williams is the team’s closer heading into the season, Mendoza didn’t mince words.
“As of right now, yes,” Mendoza said. “We had conversations with a lot of the guys, and we signed him.
We didn’t know which way it was going to go. He’s used to pitching high leverage.
If you’re asking me right now, I would say yes.”
That’s a strong vote of confidence - and it matters. Because while Williams has the résumé, he’s also coming off a stretch where things didn’t go quite as planned. After six standout seasons with the Brewers, where he emerged as one of the top relievers in baseball, Williams was traded to the Yankees last season - and he didn’t quite meet the lofty expectations.
Now, he’s got a fresh start in Queens and a chance to prove he can be the guy in the ninth.
Replacing Díaz won’t be easy. Over six seasons with the Mets, Díaz racked up 144 saves, a 2.93 ERA, and two National League Reliever of the Year awards.
He was electric, a three-time All-Star, and a fan favorite. But Williams isn’t trying to be Díaz - and that might be the smartest approach of all.
He’s bringing his own pedigree, his own pitch mix, and his own mindset to the closer role. And if he’s anywhere close to the pitcher he was in Milwaukee - where hitters often looked helpless against his devastating changeup - the Mets could still have one of the most feared bullpen arms in baseball.
The role is his now. The pressure is real. But Devin Williams sounds ready.