Yankees’ Closer Conundrum: Devin Williams’ Struggles Continue
NEW YORK — The New York Yankees are facing a dilemma that no team wants to encounter: a struggling closer. Manager Aaron Boone is not ruling out the possibility of temporarily removing Devin Williams from the closer role after his recent performance left fans at Yankee Stadium less than impressed. On Friday, Williams blew a save, leading to a 4-2 loss against the Toronto Blue Jays, and was subsequently booed off the mound.
Boone, addressing the media after the game, said, “We’ll see. We’ll have a talk through that stuff. This is raw right now. We want to do everything we can to get him right because we know how good he is and how valuable he’s going to be for us.”
Williams, a two-time All-Star and one of the top relievers in the majors since his debut in 2020, entered the ninth inning with the Yankees holding a slim 2-1 lead. However, things quickly unraveled. He allowed a leadoff single to George Springer, which prompted the restless crowd to chant, “We want Weaver!” This was a call for setup man Luke Weaver, who has maintained a spotless ERA in 11 outings this season, to take over the closing duties.
The situation worsened when Williams hit Andres Gimenez with a 2-2 fastball, setting the stage for Alejandro Kirk’s two-run, go-ahead double on a changeup that caught too much of the plate. Williams’ night ended after just 12 pitches, with only five strikes thrown. He struggled with his command, falling behind in the count to each batter he faced, a recurring issue this season. As he walked off the mound, the home crowd’s boos echoed through the stadium.
Reflecting on his performance, Williams said, “Just nothing’s working right now. And all I can do is continue to work and hopefully get some better results here.”
The Yankees acquired Williams, 30, from the Milwaukee Brewers in December to replace Clay Holmes as the closer, with Williams set to reach free agency next winter. The vision was clear: with Williams and Weaver, a breakout star from last season, the Yankees aimed to have a formidable bullpen. Williams even made waves off the field by influencing the Yankees’ decision to change their longstanding no-beard policy during spring training.
However, the pitcher who dazzled in Milwaukee has yet to make an appearance in New York. Williams boasted a 1.83 ERA over six seasons with the Brewers, thanks to his signature screwball-like changeup, The Airbender. Historically, Williams has struggled early in the season, with a 4.08 career ERA in March and April, his worst by far in any month. But this year’s struggles are different. Last season, after missing four months due to a back injury, Williams faced 88 batters, allowing just three earned runs on 10 hits over 21⅔ innings. This season, he has faced 44 batters, yielding 10 earned runs on 12 hits across eight innings.
Williams’ command issues resurfaced on Friday, and he’s missing fewer bats than usual. Last year, he posted a 40% whiff rate, a career low. This year, it has plummeted to 24.1%. A year after holding batters to a .133 batting average and .488 OPS, opponents are now hitting .343 with a .912 OPS against him.
Williams expressed his frustration, saying, “I wish there was an easy answer, but I’m not really sure. It’s not a good feeling not to be able to get the job done for the team. They put us in a great position to win there and I couldn’t get it done today.”
When asked if the crowd’s reaction bothered him, Williams said he didn’t “have an opinion on it.” He added, “At the end of the day, I still believe in myself. I believe in my ability to go out there and shut it down so I’m just gonna keep working.”
- Williams’ ERA this season: 11.25 across 10 appearances
- Luke Weaver’s ERA: Spotless in 11 outings
- Williams’ career ERA in March and April: 4.08
- Williams’ whiff rate last year: 40%
- Williams’ whiff rate this year: 24.1%
The Yankees now face a critical decision regarding their bullpen strategy. Will Boone make a change, or will Williams find his form and regain the trust of the team and its fans? Only time will tell.
Originally Written by: Jorge Castillo
