For the second consecutive season, the unthinkable has happened in New York. The Yankees lost one of the offseason’s marquee free agents to the Mets.
Unlike December 2024, however, when Juan Soto shed his pinstripes to take at least $765 million of owner Steve Cohen’s money, closer Devin Williams’ reported three-year, $51 million deal with the Mets leaves the Yankees with plenty of recourse.
Williams became the second established closer in the last week to find a new team. On the same day former Mets reliever Ryan Helsley’s contract with the Baltimore Orioles became official, general manager David Stearns quickly replaced Helsley with Williams.
The two are different pitchers. Helsley offsets his 100-mph fastball with an 89-mph slider and a seldom-used curveball. Williams throws his 84-mph changeup — dubbed the capital-A “Airbender” — with a 94-mph fastball. He throws the two pitches almost equally.
And yet, the two 31-year-old right-handers struggled at times during their first go-around in New York.
Williams blew four of his 22 save opportunities in 2025 and ceded the ninth inning to David Bednar by October. Helsley went 0-3 with a 7.20 ERA in 22 games after the St. Louis Cardinals traded him to New York.
Unlike Helsley, Williams will be staying in New York for the next three years. Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that Williams’ three-year contract doesn’t include any opt-outs. Will Sammon of The Athletic was first to report the agreement.
Now the focus will turn to Edwin Diaz — the Mets’ closer since 2019 — as he chooses his next team in free agency.
Diaz became a free agent after saving 28 games for the Mets in 2025. He was a National League All-Star for the second time in six seasons since arriving in New York in a 2019 trade.
Devin Williams is indeed signing a three-year deal with the #Mets, a source confirmed, and the team remains in pursuit of Edwin Diaz as well.
https://twitter.com/DPLennon/status/1995690537505173984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1995690537505173984%7Ctwgr%5Eb44a0093d1d4d34995e5b94a422cfa1a927f4f59%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thebiglead.com%2Fyankees-lose-45-million-free-agent-to-mets%2F
Many consider Diaz the best available closer on the market, and Sammon reports it’s still possible he returns to the Mets.
The juicier possibility, of course, is that the Yankees poach Diaz — further stirring the pot in the rivalry between New York’s two major league teams.
The closer’s market in the last 48 hours:
Ryan Helsley, Baltimore Orioles: 2 years, $28 million.
Devin Williams, New York Mets: 3 years, $45 million.
Next up: Edwin Diaz and Robert Suarez.https://twitter.com/BNightengale/status/1995687714222739780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1995687714222739780%7Ctwgr%5Eb44a0093d1d4d34995e5b94a422cfa1a927f4f59%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thebiglead.com%2Fyankees-lose-45-million-free-agent-to-mets%2F
Even without Diaz, there are other high-leverage relievers both within the Yankees’ bullpen and on the free agent market. Bednar could enter the 2026 season as the Yankees’ closer regardless of what happens between now and spring training.
But the Mets’ signing of Williams turned up the heat on baseball’s hot stove, and puts the pressure on the Yankees to piece together their 2026 bullpen without the 2020 Rookie of the Year.
