In 2025, Devin Williams‘ first season with a team not named the Milwaukee Brewers went about as poorly as it could have. The dominant closer the Yankees thought they had was nowhere to be found. Williams blew multiple save chances early on and ultimately lost his job, finishing out the year in a non-closer’s role. Overall he posted a 4.79 ERA and -0.3 WAR in 62 innings.
That didn’t stop the Mets from giving Williams a three-year, $51 million contract in free agency. And true, the swing-and-miss is still there, producing a K-rate of 13.1 per nine. Williams held hitters to a .607 OPS. The main difference: a career-high .320 slugging percentage allowed (yes, that’s still quite low).
With more extra base hits, however, base on balls came back to bite Williams more than normal.
All that said, he’s still one recognized as one of the game’s premier relievers. Despite a poor 2025 campaign, ESPN’s Buster Olney ranks him ninth in his version of the 10 relievers of 2026. (The Brewers don’t care; they have Abner Uribe.)
Devin Williams evidently left his dominance in Milwaukee
Williams’ start to the year was particularly brutal. In April, he allowed more runs than strikeouts, pitching to an ERA of 9.00 with an 8:7 strikeout to walk ratio. He settled down a bit in May and was lights out in June, but his struggles returned in July and continued into August.
After blowing a save against the White Sox on August 30, Williams was not asked to close out another game.
Out of the closer’s role, he recovered for an effective finish.
Olney sums it up: “Williams’ inconsistency in his one season with the Yankees prompted Aaron Boone to move him out of the closer’s role — then in and then out again — but Williams allowed earned runs in only two of his last 19 regular-season appearances.”
His Brewers track record made his Yankees collapse all but indecipherable.
From 2022 on as at least a part-time closer in Milwaukee, Williams posted ERAs of 1.93, 1.53, and 1.25. In that span, he whiffed 14.1 batters per nine and recorded a WHIP of 0.965. He was utterly dominant.
As a Met, he’ll be tasked with returning somewhere near that form as he fills the shoes of Edwin Diaz, who departed for the Dodgers.
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