Two-Time All-Star Reliever Moves Across Town to the New York Mets
According to multiple sources, two-time all-star reliever Devin Williams is staying in New York on a three-year, $45 million deal. He will be wearing blue and orange for the Mets next season. After speculation that he might reunite with his former team, the Milwaukee Brewers, Williams has seemingly put those rumors to rest. With Ryan Helsley signing with the Baltimore Orioles over the weekend, high-leverage bullpen arms now appear to be falling in quick succession.
A little less than a year ago, there was hope the 31-year-old Williams would be a major factor for the New York Yankees coming out of the bullpen after they acquired him from the Milwaukee Brewers for starting pitcher Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin. However, it didn’t work out that way. The 31-year-old reliever failed to meet expectations and posted the worst season of his seven-year career. Through 67 appearances, he recorded a 4.79 earned run average in 62 innings pitched. His struggles were notable, although he still finished with 90 strikeouts, which was only six away from his career high of 96. His strikeout production served as a bright spot in an otherwise difficult year. To add insult to injury, Durbin proved to be a steal for the Brewers and finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.
As expected, the Mets are wasting no time this offseason, trading for Marcus Semien and now signing Williams. Even with a whirlwind of moves, several issues remain on the negotiating table. First baseman Pete Alonso, and closer Edwin Diaz, are still on the market and are expected to draw interest from several teams. Neither player has finalized his free agency decision.
Acquiring Williams signals that the Mets believe he can rebound and move past last season’s disappointment. His career numbers remain promising with 31 wins and 16 losses, along with a 2.45 earned run average. The addition of Williams does not mean the Mets will stop pursuing Diaz, especially given their high ambitions and aggressive approach to the offseason so far. The thought of Williams and Diaz anchoring the back end of the bullpen would be intimidating for opponents and would certainly strengthen the Mets’ formula for success next season.
