ORLANDO, Fla. — New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns acknowledged the team’s signing of Devin Williams earlier this month impacted its pursuit of incumbent All-Star closer Edwin Diaz, who agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.
“I’m not going to talk about any specific negotiation,” said Stearns, who declined to directly comment on Diaz’s agreement with the Dodgers because it was not yet official. “What I’ll say is once you add to a certain part of our team that will change the calculus in how you look at your team in general.”
The margin in payouts between Williams, who is coming off a down season, and Diaz, who again was one of the best relievers in baseball in 2025, was not as expansive as widely expected entering the offseason.
The Mets signed Williams, 31, to a three-year, $51 million contract with $15 million in deferrals, reuniting the former Brewer with Stearns, Milwaukee’s former president of baseball operations.
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Diaz, 31, initially sought a five-year contract after opting out of his deal with the Mets with two years and $38 million remaining but ended up taking a three-year, $69 million deal with deferrals from the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers, sources told ESPN.
Williams would have served as a setup man had Diaz returned to Flushing. He’s instead in line to take over the closer role, Stearns confirmed Tuesday.
“And we’re comfortable with that,” he said. “I’ve certainly seen Devin perform at a very high level for a long time. I have full confidence that he can be one of the best relievers in baseball. I think he’s very motivated to do that and I’m looking forward to watching him.”
Williams emerged as one of the top relievers in the majors with a 1.83 ERA in six seasons with the Brewers before he had an uneven 2025 season with the New York Yankees that produced an ugly 4.79 ERA in 67 appearances. But encouraging underlying metrics, such as his 2.68 FIP and 99th percentile whiff rate, still made him a coveted option.
Diaz, meanwhile, was dominant in his sixth season with the Mets, compiling a 1.63 ERA with 28 saves and his third All-Star nod.
The Puerto Rican right-hander is the second franchise pillar the Mets have lost this season after outfielder Brandon Nimmo, their longest-tenured player, was traded to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien last month.
Pete Alonso, another foundational piece, could also depart via free agency this winter. The Mets are open to retaining the homegrown first baseman as they did last offseason with a two-year, $54 million deal that included an opt out that Alonso exercised after the season, but they face stiffer competition for him this time around. The Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles were among the teams Alonso planned to meet at the winter meetings Tuesday, according to sources, as he seeks a longer-term contract.
“That is something, broadly, that we talk about a lot,” Stearns said when asked abolut keeping popular players and maintaining continuity. “And we have a lot of those conversations. We’ve had them throughout this offseason. We had them throughout last offseason as well when we were faced with some decisions. And it is part of it.
“I’ve said this before: I can’t tell you I know exactly how to weigh that. I think we do our best to weigh the full impact of any player on our team, on our organization, and we make the best decision we can.”
The Mets remain in search of bullpen help — both in the free agent and trade markets. Other priorities include acquiring a front-line starting pitcher and an outfielder.
“I’m very optimistic about where our offseason is headed,” Stearns said. “Certainly work to do, but there are a lot of good players out there and I’m confident that we’re really going to like where our team is once we get to Opening Day.”
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