More discouraging news continues to circulate around the New York Mets.
Following an 18-day stretch in which they lost Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso, the Mets now face another issue: their lone major free-agent addition, Devin Williams, may not actually be thrilled about ending up in Queens.
During an appearance on 670 The Score on Wednesday, Bruce Levine reported that the Mets weren’t Williams’ top destination — they simply made the strongest financial commitment. Levine explained on air, “It’s like Devin Williams, I reported this morning … that the Cubs had a three-year offer for Devin Williams before he signed a three-year deal with the Mets for $51 million.” He added that the Chicago offer didn’t come close to the Mets’ terms. “But it wasn’t for $51 million. His preference, according to some agent sources, is that he wanted to go to the Cubs, but they didn’t approach $51 million.”
Williams continues a recent trend of former Yankees heading across town. In 2024, Luis Severino left the Bronx for the Mets, followed a year later by Clay Holmes, who converted from relief to starting, and star outfielder Juan Soto. Williams, acquired by the Yankees at last season’s trade deadline, had difficulty adapting to the intense Bronx spotlight.
Early in his stint with the Yankees, he appeared visibly uncomfortable with the heightened attention. At one point, with reporters nearby, he openly complained about the overwhelming number of media members crowding the clubhouse before and after games.
His performance in the regular season reflected some of that turmoil. Williams posted a 4.79 ERA — the highest of his career — though advanced metrics suggested the results were misleading. His 2.68 FIP pointed to bad luck and defensive lapses behind him rather than a decline in effectiveness.
When the postseason arrived, he looked far more like his dominant self. Williams delivered four scoreless innings and struck out four, reinforcing why teams pursued him so aggressively and why the Mets ultimately felt compelled to outbid the field.