Closer Devin Williams has been off to a horrendous start to his New York Mets tenure. To start the season, he has a 10.29 ERA in nine appearances. Not too pleasing to the eyes of Mets fans. It might be time for New York to look to replace Williams for the foreseeable future. Now, this isn’t to say they can’t move him back to the closer role at some point down the line. However, the issue is the spot they’ve put themselves in; they’re going to need a reliable pitcher to close out some games. Sadly, Williams is not the answer right now, giving the Mets a conundrum to deal with.
The Mets Should Replace Devin Williams in the Closer Role
Potential New Roles for Williams
This doesn’t have to be a permanent move, of course. The Mets could just do this temporarily until Williams appears comfortable. Last season, when he was struggling with the New York Yankees, they eventually made him their setup man. The Mets could try that or possibly put him in non-save situations as well. When Williams was with the Milwaukee Brewers, he was practically untouchable. He had a streak of three straight seasons with an ERA under two. He may never get back to the pitcher he once was, but the Mets just need him to be better than what he is right now. If he could show some flashes and have some quick innings out there or retire the side in order, that could be a huge confidence boost for him and the Mets.
Who Could the Mets Temporarily Replace Williams With?
There are a few options for the Mets to use to temporarily replace Williams. One name can be Luke Weaver. Now, Weaver has not been as good as the Mets believed to start the year, but he has picked it up as of late. In his last three appearances, he has yet to give up a run. Although a small sample size, maybe with him turning the tide, he can be a better help than Williams currently is. Another option could be Huascar Brazobán, who has been dominant to start the season. In 11 appearances, he has an ERA of 0.79 and has looked like the best reliever the Mets have to offer. The Mets could look to try him out as a closer, as it wouldn’t hurt at the moment.
Devin Williams is out of the game and is booed by Mets fans pic.twitter.com/NeU8x8jQYS
— Dillard Barnhart (@BarnHasSpoken2) April 22, 2026
Other options for the Mets include Austin Warren, who came in relief for Williams for one game and got out of a bases-loaded jam. Warren came in with zero outs, bases loaded, and struck out the side before being sent back down. They could also try out Dylan Ross, A.J. Minter when he comes back from the IL, or maybe even Craig Kimbrel, who is, of course, no stranger to closing games.
Will They Try Williams in Another Role?
It seems as though the Mets aren’t going to move Williams away from the closer role any time soon. Mendoza and Stearns have reiterated their confidence in Williams figuring it out. However, it couldn’t hurt to try someone else for a two-week period or so, just until Williams gets his confidence back. The Mets have a long road ahead, and it will be interesting to see whether or not Williams can turn his season around.
Main Photo Credit: © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
