TAMPA, Fla. — Devin Williams, who recently joined the New York Yankees after establishing himself as an All-Star closer with the Milwaukee Brewers, has not yet found his footing with his new team.
In his latest appearance, Williams was on the mound during a troubling ninth inning for the Yankees. Brandon Lowe’s two-run single set off a comeback for the Tampa Bay Rays, who added four runs to tie the game. Jonathan Aranda then sealed the game for the Rays with a two-run homer in the 10th inning against Yoendrys Gómez, defeating the Yankees 10-8 and snapping New York’s five-game win streak.
Reflecting on his performance, Williams commented, “With a four-run lead, you hope to close it out smoothly. Some pitches were good, others not so much. Today wasn’t my day.” So far, Williams’ time with the Yankees has been bumpy, boasting a 9.00 ERA and conceding runs in four out of nine games. Although he has successfully saved four games, his control issues are evident with seven walks over eight innings, and he has allowed a .333 opponent batting average.
Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the rocky start but offered reassurance, saying, “We have plenty of time. It’s a minor setback, and Williams is equipped to overcome it.” Meanwhile, Luke Weaver may soon become a contender for the closer’s role. Weaver, who capably stepped into the closer position last season, has been stellar this year, not allowing a single run over 11 innings and maintaining an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Williams joined the Yankees after a December trade from Milwaukee that sent pitcher Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin to the Brewers. Williams, who can enter free agency after this season, demonstrated an impressive 1.25 ERA last year with Milwaukee. However, lingering back issues kept him from playing until late July 2024.
In Saturday’s game, Williams struggled despite being provided with an 8-4 lead. He allowed a series of hits, partly due to an error and walked a batter, unraveling New York’s advantage. A misjudged changeup to Lowe highlighted the difficulty of the outing. “I’d love to redo that pitch to Lowe,” Williams noted. Despite conceding several singles, Boone observed that the opposing batters rarely made solid contact.
Acknowledging his strategic missteps, Williams considered whether he might have depended too heavily on his famed changeup. “We might be relying on it too much. It’s something to work on,” Williams conceded.