Devin Williams didn’t exactly have a memorable run with the Yankees, and in typical fashion, their fans haven’t let him forget it, especially now that he’s signed with the Mets.

Reportedly, the Mets gave him a three-year, $51 million deal, which clearly ruffled some feathers in the Bronx. And Williams fired back on Instagram, posting, “For a bunch of people who didn’t want me back on your team, y’all sure are mad in the DMs.” That little clapback only cranked up the tension between him and Yankees fans.

And to top it off, WFAN host and Yankees loyalist Chris McMonigle recently called him out, blaming him directly for his underwhelming season.

“I don’t know if I could point to one player as much as I can point to you and say You lost us the division. Like, there is not another player that I can remember that so obviously impacted them losing the most winnable games ever, like Devin Williams at the beginning of the year.” McMonigle shared via WFAN Sports Radio.

Remember that early-August game against the Astros? Devin Williams came in for the Yankees in the 10th, with the score tied 2–2 and Jose Altuve starting on second. Williams threw a wild pitch, moving Altuve to third, and with the infield pulled in, Carlos Correa punched a single up the middle to bring him home.

A few hitters later, Williams left a changeup over the plate, and Taylor Trammell crushed it for a two-run homer, blowing the game open!!!

Well, honestly, that wasn’t some rare meltdown. It was one of several rough outings he had in 2025. Eventually, he ended the year with a career-worst 4.79 ERA and converted just 18 of 22 save chances. Even Aaron Boone caught heat for sticking with him as the closer.

So yes, Williams had a tough season. But was he the only reason the Yankees fell apart? Probably not.

Notably, Anthony Volpe led the league with 19 errors, and plenty of other pitchers struggled, too. Williams was definitely a factor in the late-inning issues, but the Mets clearly still see value in a guy who’s a two-time All-Star and two-time NL Reliever of the Year.

Devin Williams has things to prove in his new role with the Mets

There’s no question that Aaron Boone gave Devin Williams plenty of chances, even with a lot of critics calling for a change. But it just never clicked. Now with the Mets, Williams is expected to slide into a setup role for Edwin Diaz, especially with Diaz sticking around. And while it might feel like the Mets took a gamble, the numbers tell a different story.

For the context, even during his rough Yankees season, he still posted a 37.7% swing-and-miss rate. That’s good for the 99th percentile, and his chase rate and strikeout rate were both elite. He even closed the year with 13 straight scoreless innings, including four spotless frames in the postseason.

Now, set aside 2025, and see Williams as a completely different pitcher. Reportedly, across his first four full MLB seasons, he put up a 1.75 ERA and struck out 40.5% of the hitters he faced.

So, the Mets weren’t wrong to look past his Yankee struggles. And honestly, pairing him with Diaz might be the smartest way to get the most out of him moving forward.