Full Details: Mets Reportedly Land Ex-Yankees All-Star De...

By Jackson Roberts

Contributing Sports Writer

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The New York Mets have their All-Star closer -- just not the one most would have predicted.

According to multiple reports, including Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Mets and two-time All-Star Devin Williams are in agreement on a three year contract. After the worst season of his career with the New York Yankees, Williams will hope the lumps he took in the country's largest media market allow him to thrive in that same market, but on the other side of town.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the deal is worth three years, $45 million, plus a $6 million bonus. That brings the total guarantee to $51 million, and Heyman also reported that $5 million per year will be deferred.

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For a pitcher with a 4.79 ERA, it's a rather sizable bet on a return to peak form, and Williams' 90 strikeouts in 62 innings certainly indicated that his stuff was still elite.

Naturally, signing a new closer raises massive alarm bells about the Mets' continued pursuit of Edwin Díaz, their own three-time All-Star closer. Díaz initially signed a five-year, $102 million contract with the Mets before the 2023 season, but opted out of the final two years of that frontloaded deal at the start of November.

It's the second major move of the offseason for the Mets, and they're handling business in advance of the winter meetings, which begin Sunday. They shipped left fielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien on Nov. 24, indicating that a transformational offseason was just getting underway.

Díaz was fantastic for the Mets this season, pitching to a 1.63 ERA in 66 1/3 innings. But his 2.28 FIP was only marginally better than Williams' 2.68, so the Mets are betting on the two closers reverting to similar stat lines next season.

It has not been Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns' way thus far to spend huge amounts of money on free-agent pitchers, be they starters or relievers. So it made sense that the Mets might pivot from Díaz at some point, but if they're doing so, it's a surprise that it's happening this early.

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