David Stearns made his second blockbuster splash of the MLB offseason, and this time, it’s all positive. The New York Mets are again poaching a former New York Yankee, signing free agent closer Devin Williams to a three-year, $50 million contract, reported first by Will Sammon of The Athletic.
Report: Mets Sign Devin Williams to Three-Year Deal
Williams instantly leaves the Yankees and joins the Mets as their current closer, but the Mets still remain open to re-signing Edwin Díaz, as first reported by Anthony DiComo. Williams had a down season with the Yankees in 2025, losing his closing job multiple times due to inconsistency. His one-year tenure in the Bronx ended with a 4.79 ERA in 67 games and a 1.129 WHIP. His struggles stemmed from inconsistent command and location issues, losing feel for his acclaimed “airbender’’ changeup, which began drifting over the middle of the strike zone instead of staying low and away.
It remains possible that the Mets can still add Edwin Díaz, league sources said. Williams’ deal is $45 million plus a $6 million bonus, prorated equal over the three years (in total, $15 million is deferred; $5 million each year). (@JonHeyman first with some of these figures.) https://t.co/7qywL6eRO4
— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) December 2, 2025
David Stearns reunites with a former Milwaukee Brewer, getting him on a team-friendly deal notably worth less than the contract Tanner Scott signed last offseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
What This Means for the Mets
This is a home run for Stearns and the Mets. They are getting a reliever on a fair deal who still possesses one of the highest ceilings in baseball, dating back to his NL Rookie of the Year breakout in 2020. As of right now, Williams will hold the closer role, but will that remain?
If the Mets can pair Díaz and Williams together, they could instantly have one of the best one-two punches in the league, the exact outcome they envision with this signing. As a setup man throughout his career, Williams has been elite, posting a 2.16 ERA in 178 2/3 innings with an outstanding 1.45 FIP.
The 31-year-old showed real promise to close out his 2025 campaign, recording a 2.05 ERA over his final 22 innings with a 44.2% strikeout rate. On the same day Steve Cohen officially earned his casino license, the Mets made another big-time move, kicking off their roster construction for the 2026 season. Now, everyone waits to see what’s next for the Metropolitans, including the possibility of bringing back Díaz.
Main Photo Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
