Was letting Devin Williams go a mistake for the Yankees?
The New York Yankees’ 2025 season told two very different stories — one of pitching strength and one of bullpen collapse. While the starting rotation delivered just about everything manager Aaron Boone and fans could hope for, ranking eighth in MLB for fWAR and fourth in ERA, the bullpen was a source of constant frustration. By season’s end, relief arms for the Yankees placed 21st in fWAR and 23rd in ERA — numbers that perfectly matched the recurring narrative of late-game meltdowns.
And at the center of many of those tough nights stood a name now wearing a different shade of New York blue: Devin Williams. The talented but inconsistent reliever recently inked a deal with the Mets, crossing borough lines after a difficult year in the Bronx.
2025 Statistics: 67 appearances, 62 innings pitched, 4–6 record, 4.79 ERA (85 ERA+), 2.68 FIP, 2.95 xFIP, 34.7% strikeout rate, 9.7% walk rate, 1.13 WHIP, and 1.4 fWAR.
2026 FanGraphs Projections: 63 games, 63 innings pitched, 3–3 record, 3.24 ERA, 3.28 FIP, 30.0% strikeout rate, 10.3% walk rate, 1.21 WHIP, 0.8 fWAR.
Let’s be honest — Williams’ first impression in pinstripes bordered on disastrous. His debut month ended with an ERA of 9.00, and things didn’t get much prettier afterward. By midseason, he posted a July ERA of 5.73, with an away mark of 5.93. Despite these struggles, Boone repeatedly trusted him in critical late-inning moments, a decision that baffled many fans. Why keep turning to a reliever clearly stuck in quicksand?
But here’s where it gets interesting. Beneath the messy surface stats, the advanced metrics painted a more complicated picture. Williams’ 1.4 fWAR was actually the fourth highest among all Yankee pitchers — and the best among the bullpen corps. He still ranked near the top percentile in several key underlying categories such as expected batting average, whiff rate, chase rate, and strikeout rate. In short, he was still fooling hitters; he just wasn’t finishing the job effectively.
His signature weapons — a devastating changeup paired with a lively four-seam fastball — remained largely intact. Mechanically, he didn’t look broken. So, what really went wrong? Was it pitch sequencing? Location inconsistency? Overexposure in high-pressure situations? Statistically, a jump from a sub-2.00 ERA to 4.79 doesn’t happen without deeper causes.
That’s why some analysts argue that, with the right usage pattern and perhaps some fine-tuning from the coaching staff, Williams could’ve rediscovered his elite form in the Bronx. After all, the Yankees reportedly explored bringing him back before the Mets swooped in — a sign they still believed in his upside.
And this is the part most people miss: despite the disappointment, the numbers actually lean toward a potential rebound. His underlying performance indicators suggest improvement is not a question of if but when. Now that he’s across town, it’s up to the Mets’ staff to unlock that former dominance — the same version of Williams who dazzled with Milwaukee, winning Rookie of the Year in 2020, earning multiple All-Star nods, and even finishing top 20 in MVP voting in 2023.
The Yankees, meanwhile, may end up watching their former reliever rediscover his rhythm under different lights. Was it mismanagement, bad luck, or just an off year? That’s the controversial question. Do you think the Yankees gave up too early — or were they right to move on after one chaotic season?
