New York Mets reliever Devin Williams isn’t feeling the pressure of potentially stepping into the closer role after Edwin Díaz’s move to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Díaz, who had been the Mets’ closer since 2019, finalized a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers on Tuesday. That development positions Williams—the 2020 NL Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star with the Milwaukee Brewers—as the early favorite to handle the ninth inning for New York.
Williams recently agreed to a three-year, $51 million deal with the Mets. Last season, the 31-year-old posted a 4.79 ERA and -0.3 bWAR over 67 appearances with the New York Yankees, losing the closer role several times. In a Tuesday interview with SNY, Williams said he knows he has to earn the closer spot.
“I’ve always looked at it as it’s the same job,” Williams explained. “You’re going out there to get three outs, five outs, whatever it may be. Just whatever the team needs you to do.”
Key Things to Know About Devin Williams and the New York Mets
A 2013 second-round pick by the Brewers, Devin Williams has compiled a 2.45 ERA and 86 saves since making his MLB debut in 2019. Between 2020 and 2024, he posted an impressive 1.70 ERA, allowing just 54 runs (42 earned) and recording a 361-106 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 222 innings.
But Williams struggled after joining the Yankees. His 4.79 ERA marked a career high, and he surrendered five home runs for the first time since 2021. In the second half of the season, he posted a 5.06 ERA over 26 2/3 innings, while David Bednar, the former Pirates All-Star reliever, assumed the Yankees’ closer role following a July trade.
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns expressed confidence on Tuesday that Williams can handle the closer role. Stearns noted that Williams had been “pretty unlucky,” pointing to his 2.68 FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) and 3.6 walks per nine innings. However, his 0.7 home runs per nine innings marked his worst mark since becoming a full-time major leaguer in the 2020 COVID-shortened season.
“I’ve seen Devin perform at a very high level for a long time,” Stearns said at the Winter Meetings. “I have full confidence that he can be one of the best relievers in baseball. I think he’s very motivated to do that, and I’m looking forward to watching that.”
The Mets will kick off the 2026 season against Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, March 26.