Mets pilfer Yankees again while sealing Edwin Diaz’s fate in free agency

For a second straight offseason, the New York Mets have poached a free agent away from the New York Yankees. While Devin Williams' free agency didn't quite have the fanfare of Juan Soto's last offseason, the Mets wasted no time in taking the two-time All-Star off the market.

Williams inked a three-year deal with the Mets worth $45 million, with another $5 million set to be deferred. Considering the struggles that Williams had with the Yankees last season, there was some belief that he could be in the market for a short-term deal as a way to replenish his stock. That being said, with Ryan Helsley inking a two-year deal worth $28 million, there was bound to be a healthy market for Williams.

At the very least, the Mets acted quickly in putting the money saved from the Bradon Nimmo trade to use. The Mets saved nearly $30 million while taking back Marcus Semien from the Texas Rangers, and it would seem like some of that money will be headed in Williams' direction.

In signing Devin Williams, the Mets send a parting message to free-agent closer Edwin Diaz.

When Williams was last in the National League, he was one of the best closers in baseball. The issue is that there was a slight dip in his strikeout numbers during his time with the Yankees, and an uptick in his vulnerability to the long ball. If the Mets are confident they can get those issues fixed, then Williams will be as good, if not a better option than Diaz at half the cost.

As if there were any surprise, the early returns of free agency have confirmed that the price of pitching remains at a premium, and Williams' deal likely rules a Mets reunion out for free-agent closer Edwin Diaz.

Entering the offseason, the lean was that Diaz would return to New York, though he was also seeking a deal similar to the five-year contract he inked before the 2023 season, worth $102 million. While the Mets likely weren't going to reach that level in their efforts to bring back the three-time All-Star, there was an expectation that the two sides would come to an agreement at some point.

With the Mets likely out of the picture, it'll be curious if the Los Angeles Dodgers pick up their pursuit of the 31-year-old.