After the New York Mets made their first major move this offseason this week, inking two-time reliever of the year Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million contract, the team officially introduced Williams in a video call on Friday.
Mets Introduce Latest Signing Devin Williams
Williams hoped that wherever he signed, he would take the ball in the ninth inning. In his introduction, he said, “Every team I talked to was for the closer’s role.”
It makes sense, given he was an elite closer for the Milwaukee Brewers from 2022 to 2024. Yet last year with the New York Yankees, the former All-Star pitched so poorly that the team demoted him to middle relief. Williams attributed his struggles to various factors, saying, “some mechanical, some pitch selection type stuff.”
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The Mets officially welcome Devin Williams to Queens in an introductory news conference https://t.co/fB7XjgbanL
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) December 5, 2025
After the Yankees removed him from closing duties, Williams pitched well. He saw his numbers improve towards the end of the regular season, followed by a good postseason.
However, for the Mets, it’s an interesting case. The team is still “in” on their All-Star closer and now free agent Edwin Díaz as they look to solidify the back end of their bullpen. If the Mets were to bring Díaz back, that would certainly mean Williams will be in a setup role.
“I think it’s just a good situation. If he comes back, I think we’re going to have a really good back of the ‘pen. More good arms is always a good thing. That’s really it.”
Williams’ Repertoire
Devin Williams, who’s essentially been a two-pitch pitcher (fastball, changeup) his entire career, said he is working to add a gyro slider and has been tinkering with a cutter. “It’s really something I’ve felt I needed to do, something I’ve been working on for years now.”
Devin Williams says that he’s been tinkering with a cutter and a gyro slider to add to his arsenal this offseason pic.twitter.com/NHAjyuBfMZ
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) December 5, 2025
What Williams Sees in the Mets
“They’re a team that wants to win, ” said Williams. “Steve’s doing all he can to put a winning product out on the field, and I’d love to be a part of that.”
Williams also gave credit to the Mets’ pitching lab, saying, “They have a track record of helping guys improve on things that they already do, and I think that they’ll be able to help me. I’m really curious to see what they have for me.”
The former Brewer’s relationship with Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns was another driving factor in the reliever’s decision. “I’m familiar with the way he wants the organization run. The way that they wanna do things and their process. I think it’s another familiarity for me, so it’s all comfortable.”
Whether Williams will be the forceable closer or setup man, his mindset doesn’t change. “I think that’s more of just being prepared mentally and physically. If you’re going to be in before the ninth inning, you just need to be ready earlier. I don’t think that really changes your mindset at all. It’s just a preparation thing.”
Main Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
