The ink hadn’t even dried on Devin Williams’ three-year, $51 million contract with the New York Mets before the right-hander decided to light a match and toss it over his shoulder on the way to Queens.
After a volatile 2025 campaign where Yankee Stadium boo birds treated him like a liability, Williams took to Instagram to call out the double standard, posting, “For a bunch of people that didn’t want me back on your team, y’all sure are mad in the DMs.” It is a direct challenge that cuts through the noise, exposing the entitlement of a fanbase that spent six months driving him out of town only to cry foul when he joined the neighbors.
While the “Airbender” admits his tenure in Pinstripes wasn’t a fairy tale, the venom spewed his way ignored the reality of what he actually brought to the mound.
The narrative that the Yankees simply “lost” a player is false; they actively pushed him toward a franchise that, in Williams’ own words, “wants to win.” This isn’t just a player leaving in free agency; it is an indictment of the current culture in the Bronx compared to the aggressive, winning environment Steve Cohen is cultivating at Citi Field.
Why the Mets Saw Gold Where the Yankees Saw Rust
If you only look at the surface-level 4.79 ERA from Williams‘ 2025 season, you might think the Yankees dodged a bullet, but smart front offices don’t pay for past ERA. David Stearns and the Mets brass looked at the underlying metrics and saw an elite reliever who was the victim of horrific luck and a porous defense. Williams posted a sparkling 2.68 FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) and struck out 90 batters in just 62 innings, proving his stuff was as electric as ever despite the bad outcomes.
The disparity between his ERA and FIP suggests that he was actually one of the most dominant relievers in baseball last year, but the box scores didn’t tell the full story.
While Hal Steinbrenner’s front office seemed content to let him walk and rely on internal options, the Mets recognized a market inefficiency and pounced on a high-leverage arm with something to prove. It is the classic difference between an organization trying to protect profit margins and one relentlessly pursuing a World Series title.
Steve Cohen and the “Winning Product” Mentality
Williams didn’t mince words when contrasting the two organizations, noting that “Steve’s doing all he can to put a winning product out there, and I’d love to be part of that.” That quote has to sting for Yankees fans who have watched their team plateau while the Mets continue to add premium talent like it’s a hobby. With Edwin Díaz’s future still up in the air, securing Williams gives the Mets a proven closer who has the mental fortitude to handle New York, even if the Bronx faithful tried to break him.
The fact that the Mets were willing to guarantee over $50 million for a reliever coming off a “down” year shows a level of conviction that the Yankees currently lack. It signals to the rest of the league that the Mets are the destination for players who want financial security and a genuine commitment to winning now.
The Yankees, meanwhile, are left with a hole in their bullpen and the bitter aftertaste of a former player telling them exactly why he left.
Looking Ahead: The Subway Series Just Got Personal
The rivalry between these two boroughs has always been heated, but Williams crossing the Triborough Bridge adds a layer of personal animosity we haven’t seen in years. When Williams inevitably takes the mound at Yankee Stadium wearing orange and blue next season, the reception will be deafening, but this time he will be fueled by spite rather than the pressure to please an ungrateful crowd.
The Mets have effectively weaponized the Yankees’ own rejection against them, turning a “failed” Yankee experiment into a potential weapon for their own championship run.
Fan sentiment has shifted rapidly from “good riddance” to “how could you,” but the reality is that the Yankees created this monster themselves. Williams is betting on his talent winning out over the noise, and if his 2025 peripherals are any indication, he is about to make a lot of people in the Bronx look very foolish. The 2026 Subway Series isn’t just about bragging rights anymore; it is about Devin Williams proving that the Yankees didn’t just lose a closer, they lost the plot.
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