The New York Mets 2026 season has been a disaster to this point, and despite having one of the highest payrolls in Major League Baseball, this is a team that’s currently sitting in last place in the National League East with a 52-67 record.
While injuries have played a role in the Mets embarrassing struggles, the team have simply not gotten the best out of their highest paid players, and after making a splash this off-season, they’ve once again failed to live up to expectations.
Devin Williams Placed on Injured List
GettyDevin Williams of the New York Mets.
One player that has not only struggled to live up to expectations but has been a genuine flop for the Mets has been reliever Devin Williams, who was a letdown for the Yankees in 2025 after being acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers.
This past winter he signed a huge deal to join the other New York team, with the Mets believing he could turn things around in a big way, but unfortunately, that simply hasn’t happened yet. Now, with the Mets finally finding some momentum, they’ve made an announcement on Williams, revealing that he is set to head to the 15-day Injured List with a right shoulder strain, with the move coming retroactive to August 8th, the day after his last appearance for the Mets.
Not too long ago, Williams was seen as one of the best relievers in baseball, as he was an All-Star in 2022 and 2023 with the Milwaukee Brewers, posting an ERA of 1.83 in 241 appearances with the team across six seasons, but since departing he has fallen apart completely.
Will we Ever see the Best of Devin Williams Again?
Unfortunately, in 2025 with the Yankees, Williams struggled in the spotlight, posting an ERA of 4.79 across 62.0 innings of work, with a -0.3 WAR being by far the worst of his career after he’d just tallied a 1.25 ERA the season before with the Brewers.
In 2026 with the Mets, it’s gotten marginally better, but after signing a three-year, $51 million contract, it’s safe to say that he hasn’t lived up to the expectations and the hopes of Mets fans and the organization. Across 38.2 innings in 42 appearances, Williams has an ERA of 4.66 while allowing 43 hits in that time, and given these performances, it’s safe to say that the Mets won’t be trusting him in too many high leverage positions until he can prove that he’s a dominant or even capable pitcher again.
Ultimately, this type of thing has happened to many players in the history of sports where a change in scenery and opportunity can completely derail their career, and while Williams has been one of the worst relievers in Major League Baseball in the past two years, given that he’s still 31-years-old, there’s hope in New York that he can turn things around and be a solid late innings reliever still.
Mets Make Unfortunate Announcement on Eight-Year MLB Reliever