Sep 25, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Devin Williams (38) pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Yankees Didn't Try to Re-Sign Mets Pitcher

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated Dec 8, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The New York Yankees saw their crosstown rivals pluck one of their big-name players from them for the second offseason in a row a week ago, but the circumstances this time around were a little bit different.

Unlike with Juan Soto, who was one of the most prolific free agents in MLB history and chose to ink a 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets last December instead of returning to The Bronx, the Yankees never made a concerted effort to re-sign right-handed reliever Devin Williams before he headed over to Queens on a three-year, $51 million pact.

“I would agree that his season was better than how the normal numbers look. I would agree he had a handful of games that destroyed the overall numbers,” Cashman said during the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla., per the New York Post's Greg Joyce. “Bringing him back, I wouldn’t have made the phone call if it wasn’t a possibility, but we didn’t make an offer.”

Cashman added that he did have a conversation with Williams' agent earlier in the offseason as a means of keeping up with his market, but he never heard back from the two-time All-Star's camp before he became a Met.

“But he never called me back — I’m not saying he needed to,” Cashman said.

Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Williams' Rocky Yankees Tenure

The Yankees acquired Williams in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers last offseason, sending left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. and infielder Caleb Durbin the other way.

The two-time National League Reliever of the Year came to the Yankees with high expectations after establishing himself as one of the league's premier relievers during his time in Milwaukee, but he simply missed the mark for a majority of his time with the club.

The 31-year-old closed out the season with a 4.79 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 62 innings while blowing four saves, marking the worst statistical year of his major league career up to this point. Williams did step up during the playoffs with four scoreless outings totaling four innings, but that did little to change the Yankees' fate, as they fell to the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS.

He was a bit unlucky, as evidenced by his 2.68 FIP while also missing bats at an elite pace with a 34.7 percent strikeout rate, but the Yankees still opted not to make a strong push to retain him.

With Williams gone and Luke Weaver currently on the free agent market, the Yankees are set to have David Bednar handle the closer duties in 2026 while the likes of Camilo Doval, Fernando Cruz and Tim Hill are among their other late-inning options at the moment.

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