Devin Williams is making the move to the Mets next season. Al Bello / Getty Images
After agreeing to a three-year, $51 million deal to move crosstown and join the New York Mets on Monday night, reliever Devin Williams had a strong message for New York Yankees fans.
“For a bunch of people that didn’t want me back on your team, yall are sure mad in the DM’s,” Williams wrote Wednesday in a post on his Instagram story.
Williams had a turbulent 2025 campaign in the Bronx after being acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in an offseason trade. It’s no secret that his relationship with Yankees fans wasn’t great from the start. Beginning the season as New York’s closer, Williams had an ERA of 9.00 in April. He was repeatedly booed by Yankees fans early in the season, and manager Aaron Boone eventually demoted him from the closer role.
Before that demotion, Williams played a role in changing the Yankees’ longstanding facial hair policy, which had bothered some fans.
Despite the struggles early on in the season, Williams did have a strong final push. He finished 2025 with a 13-inning scoreless streak, which included four scoreless innings in the playoffs. In game 2 of the ALDS against the Blue Jays, Yankees fans even gave Williams a standing ovation to recognize his performance.
“It’s nice to feel appreciated sometimes,” Williams said after the game. “It was definitely better than what I’ve had for much of the year.”
Williams finished the season with a career-worst 4.79 ERA, but still ranked in the 99th percentile in whiff rate thanks in large part to his formidable changeup.
With the Mets, Williams will look to bolster a bullpen that finished 15th in ERA and may be facing the departure of star closer Edwin Diaz in free agency.
Dec 5, 2025
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