![\"C\u00f3](\"https:\/\/scontent.fdad1-3.fna.fbcdn.net\/v\/t51.82787-15\/589067379_18388555924176039_5944642599105287900_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_p526x296_tt6&_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=R_ZZAqksESkQ7kNvwGALN-h&_nc_oc=AdkcbSYDbMGNHTMNY8blO4LomGEiIya47TqOcCljPVh7mwa1ZcvCXkLwL4daTjQspqo&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.fdad1-3.fna&_nc_gid=jhxNkqROa4G8T3LdeWkNLQ&oh=00_AflzOQEUg1T3pY-LhVBW0LXSy2KeY0rYILe7-9VgNLne8g&oe=69344B29\")
<\/p>\nFor the second consecutive season, the unthinkable has happened in New York. The Yankees lost one of the offseason\u2019s marquee free agents to the Mets.<\/p>\n
Unlike December 2024, however, when Juan Soto shed his pinstripes to take at least $765 million of owner Steve Cohen\u2019s money, closer Devin Williams\u2019 reported three-year, $51 million deal with the Mets leaves the Yankees with plenty of recourse.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Williams became the second established closer in the last week to find a new team. On the same day former Mets reliever Ryan Helsley\u2019s contract with the Baltimore Orioles became official, general manager David Stearns quickly replaced Helsley with Williams.<\/p>\n
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 \u2014\u00a0dubbed the capital-A \u201cAirbender\u201d \u2014 with a 94-mph fastball. He throws the two pitches almost equally.<\/p>\n
And yet, the two 31-year-old right-handers struggled at times during their first go-around in New York.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Unlike Helsley, Williams will be staying in New York for the next three years. Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that Williams\u2019 three-year contract doesn\u2019t include any opt-outs. Will Sammon of The Athletic was first to report the agreement.<\/p>\n
Now the focus will turn to Edwin Diaz \u2014 the Mets\u2019 closer since 2019 \u2014\u00a0as he chooses his next team in free agency.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n Many consider Diaz the best available closer on the market, and Sammon reports it\u2019s still possible he returns to the Mets.<\/p>\n The juicier possibility, of course, is that the Yankees poach Diaz \u2014 further stirring the pot in the rivalry between New York\u2019s two major league teams.<\/p>\n The closer’s market in the last 48 hours: 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<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n Even without Diaz, there are other high-leverage relievers both within the Yankees\u2019 bullpen and on the free agent market. Bednar could enter the 2026 season as the Yankees\u2019 closer regardless of what happens between now and spring training.<\/p>\n But the Mets\u2019 signing of Williams turned up the heat on baseball\u2019s hot stove, and puts the pressure on the Yankees to piece together their 2026 bullpen without the 2020 Rookie of the Year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":124389,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-124385","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
\n
\nRyan Helsley, Baltimore Orioles: 2 years, $28 million.
\nDevin Williams, New York Mets: 3 years, $45 million.
\nNext up: Edwin Diaz and Robert Suarez.<\/p>\n