Big Mets trade deadline deal of 2021 has unexpected payoff this year

In the face of some New York Mets injuries, a doubleheader, and few places to turn, it was Trevor Williams who stepped up in the first game on Saturday. He did what he has done more than anyone else this year. He gave the Mets some scoreless innings.

When the Mets made their big 2021 trade deadline move for Javier Baez, Williams was viewed similar to the way we thought of Carlos Carrasco when he was paired with Francisco Lindor except much less so. Williams went straight to the minor league upon joining the Mets organization. Soon after, they called him up and the veteran pitcher has carved out a perfect niche for himself.

Trevor Williams is making sure the Mets win their trade with the Cubs from 2021

Pete Crow-Armstrong might have the most promising future of the players swapped in the deal. Baez, now struggling through the 2022 season with the Detroit Tigers, is practically irrelevant in the final grades for this trade. The Mets moved on from him after only a few months but decided to keep with Williams in a long reliever/emergency starter role.

There was never much doubt this would be how the Mets would use him. Probably not ideal for a rotation yet too capable of going multiple innings to pitch as a one-inning reliever, the stars aligned. The Mets had a long reliever they could ask to occasionally start for them.

The plan has worked to perfection. Williams, while not unhittable, is outperforming the expectations many had for him. Buck Showalter has had to turn to him regularly this year and nearly every time he has been ready for the task. Whether it be as a reliever or starter, Williams has been effective for the orange and blue.

Who would have guessed that when the Mets traded for Francisco Lindor’s good friend Javy that it would be the buddy tagging along that would stay the longest and have the larger impact? Williams might be just a role-player in a lot of ways but without him this year’s Mets club has a couple more losses and one less bullpen arm they can trust.