The blockbuster news is official: Former New York Yankees reliever Devin Williams has signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the New York Mets, confirming the stunning crosstown coup that has indeed ignited “Queens Dreams and Manhattan Fury.”
This signing by Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns—who drafted Williams in Milwaukee—is a high-stakes gamble on the pitcher regaining his dominant form, a move that is being seen as a direct shot at the Yankees.
🍎 Queens Dreams: Betting on the Bounce-Back
The Mets are betting that Williams’s 4.79 ERA from a turbulent 2025 Yankees season was an anomaly and that his underlying metrics are a true indicator of future success:
- Elite Strikeout Stuff: Williams still posted an elite 34.7% strikeout rate (90 K’s in 62 innings), demonstrating his “Airbender” changeup remains unhittable.
- The Stearns Connection: Mets brass believe their familiarity with Williams’s mental makeup and mechanics will allow them to fix the issues he struggled with during his single season in the Bronx.
- Immediate Stability: The signing gives the Mets a proven, high-leverage arm to anchor the back of the bullpen, which is critical as star closer Edwin Díaz remains a free agent. Sources indicate the Mets are still pursuing Díaz, which could result in a devastating 1-2 punch with Williams pitching the eighth or ninth.
😡 Manhattan Fury: The Yankee Reaction
The reaction from the Yankees fanbase—and some analysts—is a mix of relief and intense frustration at losing a player to their crosstown rivals.
- Relief: Many Yankees fans are relieved to see Williams depart, citing his inconsistency and his tendency to lose the closer role twice in 2025. His high ERA (4.79) was a massive disappointment for a team that acquired him to be an elite, reliable force.
- Frustration: The fury stems from the fact that the Mets acquired him for a lower annual value than his predicted market price, and his strong finish to the 2025 season (four scoreless playoff appearances) showed the dominant pitcher is still there. The frustration is that the Mets will now “reap the rewards” of the Yankees’ work to stabilize him.
- Rivalry: The move is magnified because it adds Williams to the growing list of former Yankees (including Juan Soto and others) that Mets owner Steve Cohen has aggressively targeted, fueling the “Subway Series” rivalry to a fever pitch.
The “ninth-inning executioner” now wears orange and blue, creating immediate drama for the 2026 season’s interleague matchups.
