The New York Mets allowed closer Edwin Diaz to leave via free agency. Instead of retaining him, the franchise decided to ink Devin Williams to fill the role. After a rough start, the closer appears to shake the early-season struggles, pitching strongly out of the bullpen. Jared Greenspan of MLB.com.
“Williams carries a stretch of six consecutive scoreless outings into Tuesday’s series opener against the Tigers. He’s notched three saves in that span, striking out eight of the 17 batters he’s faced while allowing just one baserunner.”
In the last 4.2 innings, Williams struck out six, with zero walks and zero runs of any sort, earned or otherwise, allowing just one hit. He looks calm and focused. Whether that is because the Mets’ season continues to disappoint remains to be seen.
Devin Williams has been LIGHTS OUT in his last 5 appearances 👀🔥
4.2 IP
1-0
1 H
6 K
3 S pic.twitter.com/LuqFfZN6uT— SleeperMets (@SleeperMets) May 9, 2026
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Pitching Coach Brings Necessary Fixes
Greenspan attributes Williams’ resurgence to a series of minor changes.
“That guy has the slowest heartbeat I’ve ever been around. It’s not the atmosphere. It’s minor tweaks to get him back to the level he wants to be at, which is one of the best to have ever done this.”
Williams features three pitches: changeup, four-seam fastball, and cutter. According to Baseball Savant, Williams’ production starts with a change in velocity and movement. While he doesn’t throw the four-seamer as hard as last year, dropping from 94.1 to 93.4 miles per hour.
Also, the vertical drop on the pitch increased from 15.5 to 18.9 inches. That change in level will affect batters. Also, Williams is throwing inside to batters. Batters pull 61.3% of his offerings, as opposed to 42.1 last season.
GettyNew York Mets closer Devin Williams throws a pitch against the Los Angeles of Anaheim during a May 1, 2026 game.
Same City, Changed Expectations
New York remains a far cry from Milwaukee, where Williams became a two-time All-Star. As a Yankee, the organization demanded success based on its strength as a franchise. Meanwhile, in Queens, he needed to replace a beloved player who endeared himself to fans.
Williams, by all accounts, is not the same as Diaz in terms of personality. Remember, he is the same player who punched the wall in celebration, missing the entire postseason back in 2021. However, he is the same one who recorded a 0.33 earned run average with at least 21 innings pitched since 1913.
And the ballgame is over!
Devin Williams locks down the save and the Mets beat the Rockies! pic.twitter.com/rYbc6U4XtH
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 7, 2026
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Will He Be The Closer in 90 Days?
Over the next three months, the Mets could undergo a radical facelift. They’ve already called up a top prospect in A.J. Ewing to bolster the offense. In the offseason, the president of baseball operations, David Stearns, decided to revamp the lineup. He allowed Pete Alonso to walk away for Jorge Polanco, who currently resides on the injured list.
GettyNew York Mets closer Devin Williams pitches against the Colorado Rockies.
Plus, the team waved goodbye to Brandon Nimmo, hoping that rookie Carson Benge would start becoming the player the team thinks he can be. On top of that, organization miscues like Bo Bichette playing out of position could further hinder the team.
If the weeks after the All-Star break do not yield improvement, the team may engage in a fire sale, offloading veterans for younger players. In essence, ending the season and enduring the wrath of a fanbase, weary of promises and angry at lackluster results. Williams’ future with the Mets could hinge on his current production and the team.
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