Devin Williams Disses Yankees Fans After Signing $51M Mets Deal

The New York Mets didn’t just add an elite bullpen arm when they signed Devin Williams. They also inherited a bit of New York baseball drama.

After a rocky stint in the Bronx, the two-time National League Reliever of the Year took a pointed swipe at Yankees fans on Instagram. Now he’s crossing town on a three-year, $51 million deal that could reshape the Mets’ late-inning identity.

Mets Land an Elite Reliever — and a Chip on His Shoulder

Williams arrives in Queens with both pedigree and something to prove. His move from the Yankees to the Mets doesn’t just shift the balance in the NL East.

It turns up the heat on an already intense New York baseball rivalry. Nobody’s pretending otherwise.

From Milwaukee Star to New York Spotlight

Williams built his reputation with the Brewers, where his devastating “Airbender” changeup made him one of the most unhittable relievers in baseball. Multiple seasons as a dominant late-inning force earned him a pair of National League Reliever of the Year awards.

He became one of the most coveted bullpen arms in the game. That track record is what made his move to the Yankees such a major storyline.

Acquired in a high-profile trade from Milwaukee, Williams was billed as the next great weapon at the back of the Bronx bullpen. He looked like the type of arm that can shorten a game to eight innings.

Why It Went Wrong with the Yankees

Instead of a seamless transition, Williams’ Yankees tenure got off to a brutal start. Over his first 12 appearances in pinstripes, he posted a 9.00 ERA.

That number turns any reliever into a lightning rod in New York, especially one arriving with star billing. By late April, the Yankees made a decisive move: Williams lost the closer job, and David Bednar took over ninth-inning duties.

For a pitcher used to locking down games, the demotion stung. The Yankees had lost confidence in him as their primary finisher.

Underlying Numbers Tell a Different Story

On the surface, Williams’ season with the Yankees looks like a disappointment. But the analytics paint a more nuanced picture of his time in the Bronx.

Elite Stuff, Inconsistent Results

Despite the ugly ERA, Williams’ stuff never took a step back. His whiff rate sat in the 99th percentile across the league.

Hitters already knew: when he’s in the zone, he’s as tough to square up as anyone in baseball. His final line — a 4.79 ERA, the worst of his career — reflects inconsistency rather than collapse.

A handful of bad outings early in the year ballooned his numbers. In a reliever’s world, a few blowups can distort an entire season.

Williams Defends His Yankees Stint

Williams hasn’t shied away from defending his performance. He’s pointed out that outside of a few rough games, he felt he did his job and contributed to the Yankees’ bullpen.

He echoed that same sentiment while addressing criticism on social media. His jab at Yankees fans on Instagram underscores that tension.

The message was clear: he felt the reaction in the Bronx didn’t match the totality of his work, and he’s not afraid to say so. Honestly, can you blame him for being a little salty?

How Williams Fits into the Mets’ Late-Inning Puzzle

The Mets didn’t give Williams three years and $51 million just to be another arm. They see him as a key piece in a bullpen that has to support a staff built to contend in the National League.

Edwin Díaz, Devin Williams, and the Closer Question

The biggest storyline now shifts to Edwin Díaz. Once the unquestioned closer in Queens, Díaz’s role isn’t set in stone going into the new season.

The Mets are evaluating all late-inning options as they integrate Williams into their staff. Several scenarios are on the table:

Whatever direction the Mets choose, they now have the kind of late-inning depth contenders crave. That’s not something you can fake in October.

A Fresh Start in Queens — and a New Rivalry Chapter

For Williams, this move isn’t just another contract. It feels like a reset, honestly.

He leaves behind a turbulent, much-scrutinized chapter in the Bronx. Now he steps into a Mets bullpen that craves his swing-and-miss stuff and that old-school veteran edge.

And for New York baseball? His Instagram jab at Yankees fans just adds fuel to an already raging fire.

If Williams finds his groove in Queens after stumbling in pinstripes, his journey from the Bronx to Flushing might end up as one of the defining subplots of the Mets–Yankees rivalry for years to come.

 
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