Why Devin Williams Reportedly Could Leave Yankees for Mets Contract in MLB Free Agency

There is a possibility Devin Williams will leave the New York Yankees to join their crosstown rivals this offseason, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Passan reported Tuesday that the New York Mets "are in" on Williams after he posted a career-high 4.79 ERA through 67 appearances with the Yankees last season.

Mets owner Steve Cohen will have competition, however, if he decides to pursue Williams. According to Passan, the reliever "has suitors from coast to coast."

Those suitors could potentially include the two-time reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya recently reported are interested in signing Williams.

Williams himself said after his trade to the Yankees last December he had "kind of thought I'd be going to LA."

Passan noted, however, that the reliever has connections to the Mets. Williams and president of baseball operations David Stearns overlapped for five seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Stearns worked with the Brewers from 2015 to 2023, so he was around in Milwaukee to see Williams post back-to-back All-Star campaigns in 2022 and 2023.

Williams may have seen his ERA climb since joining the Yankees in 2025, but his underlying numbers indicate he could remain an effective reliever during his age-31 campaign.

Baseball Savant ranked him in the 96th percentile or higher in chase percentage (35 percent), whiff percent (37.7 percent) and strike percentage (34.7 percent).

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand has pointed out that Williams' expected ERA was 3.09, and that 70 percent of the runners he allowed to score were already on base when he took the mound.

The Mets are in danger of losing star closer Edwin Díaz, who is hitting free agency for the first time this offseason. Should Díaz walk this winter, adding Williams could help the Mets ensure their bullpen remains a strength heading into 2026.