NY Mets eyeing Yankees closer for 2nd straight year (with bigger Edwin Diaz plans)

The baseball offseason is officially underway, and for the New York Mets, the stove is already burning hot. According to a new report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Mets have emerged as a primary suitor for free-agent reliever Devin Williams, who spent the 2025 season with the cross-town rival New York Yankees. The connection is logical: Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns was the architect of the Milwaukee Brewers teams that drafted and developed Williams into one of the game’s elite closers. Now, Stearns appears poised to bring his former pupil to Queens, potentially orchestrating a reunion that could reshape the Mets' bullpen hierarchy.

Williams is entering the market at a fascinating nadir in his value. His 2025 campaign in the Bronx was, by all surface metrics, the worst of his career. After being traded to the Yankees last winter to stabilize their ninth inning, Williams struggled to adjust to the pinstripes, eventually losing the closer role by May. He finished the season with a 4-6 record and a bloated 4.79 ERA—a far cry from the sub-2.00 ERA dominance he displayed in Milwaukee. However, the Mets’ interest suggests they are looking past the unsightly run prevention numbers and focusing on the raw stuff, which, according to advanced metrics, remains as lethal as ever.

The Stearns connection and the "Airbender's" hidden value

While the 4.79 ERA will scare off casual observers, a deeper dive into Baseball Savant (Statcast) data reveals why Stearns and the Mets are so intrigued. Despite the surface-level struggles, Williams actually posted excellent peripheral numbers in 2025. In 62.0 innings pitched, he struck out 90 batters, good for a blistering 13.1 K/9 ratio. His WHIP stood at a respectable 1.13, suggesting that bad luck and timing played a significant role in his inflated ERA. The Mets’ front office, known for its analytical prowess, likely sees a bounce-back candidate whose underlying skill set is still elite.

The centerpiece of Williams’ arsenal remains the "Airbender"—his signature changeup that defies physics. Even in a down year, the pitch was a nightmare for hitters. Statcast data from 2025 shows the changeup averaged 83.7 mph with 19 inches of horizontal break and 44 inches of vertical drop, continuing to grade out well above the league average. His overall whiff rate sat at 37.7%, placing him in the upper echelon of Major League relievers. Williams predominantly used a two-pitch mix, throwing the changeup 52.5% of the time and pairing it with a four-seam fastball that still touched 96.8 mph. The stuff is there; the command and consistency just need to be re-harnessed.

The Mets’ interest in Williams is particularly intriguing given their current situation with Edwin Díaz. The Mets' superstar closer is also a free agent this winter, and retaining him is priority number one. However, should the bidding war for Díaz reach astronomical levels that the Mets deem excessive, Williams offers a high-upside pivot at a potentially lower cost. Stearns could view Williams as a distressed asset—a proven closer reachable on a deal that mitigates risk while offering the ceiling of a top-tier fireman.

However, the most terrifying scenario for the rest of the National League East involves the Mets signing both relievers. Passan’s report hints at "even bigger plans," which could involve pairing Williams with Díaz to form the most devastating one-two punch in baseball. Williams, having transitioned to an eighth-inning role with the Yankees after his early struggles, proved he could handle setup duties. Imagine a game shortened to seven innings, with the "Airbender" handling the eighth and Díaz’s 100-mph trumpets closing it out in the ninth. It’s a "super bullpen" blueprint that Stearns has toyed with before, and with Steve Cohen’s checkbook, it’s a very real possibility.