Devin Williams is staying in New York … but switching teams.
The two-time All-Star reliever Williams has agreed to a three-year deal with the New York Mets, Will Sammon of The Athletic reported on Monday. Jeff Passan of ESPN adds that the deal for Williams has over $50 million in guaranteed money and contains no opt-outs or options.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post then noted that Williams’ deal comes with deferrals that bring the present-day value of the deal to $45 million.
The 30-year-old Williams was one of the more coveted relievers on the free agent market this offseason. While Williams had a shaky year with the New York Yankees last season (going 4-6 with a 4.79 ERA and even getting demoted from the closer role at one point), he has a strong body of work as a two-time NL Reliever of the Year.
Now Williams, who spent the first six seasons of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers, is back in the NL with the spend-happy Mets. Closer Edwin Diaz is also a free agent this offseason, and so the Mets are moving quickly to address their bullpen (while still having a possibility to bring back Diaz on a new deal).
As for the Yankees, they have now lost the righty Williams, whom they traded for last winter, after just one season. Even worse is the fact that the Yankees changed a longstanding team policy last year just to accommodate Williams.
