The Edwin Diaz news even caught Devin Williams by surprise.
The newly signed reliever expected the Mets to be able to retain their star closer in free agency, pairing them to form a dynamic one-two punch at the backend of the bullpen.
However, as things have played out, Diaz ended up taking slightly more money to join the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers on a three-year pact on Tuesday.
Williams will now instead be handed the mighty tall task of filling the huge void left behind in the backend of New York’s bullpen following Diaz’s departure.
While the 31-year-old is coming off a bit of an up-and-down campaign with the Yankees, David Stearns voiced his confidence in him taking over the role.
“We’re very comfortable with that,” Stearns said. “I’ve 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 that.”
Though Williams is receiving the first shot with not many other experienced options on the roster as currently constructed, he knows he’ll still have to go out and earn the role.
Whether he ends up with the ball in the eighth or ninth, he’s taking the same approach.
“I’ve always looked at it as it’s the same job,” Williams said on SNY’s Mets Hot Stove from the Winter Meetings on Tuesday. “You’re going out there to get three outs, five outs, whatever it may be — just whatever the team needs you to do.”
Stearns wouldn’t reveal if the team was still in the market for another backend bullpen piece, but he did say they’ll continue to build the bullpen in numerous ways.
Robert Suarez and Pete Fairbanks are two of the top relievers remaining on the market.
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