It was time for a change.
Yankees’ right-hander Devin Williams has been temporarily removed from the closing role, manager Aaron Boone announced ahead of the club’s Sunday doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays. The skipper spoke with Williams and told reporters that he wants the hurler to rebuild some momentum in non-save situations so he can return to the unhittable force that he’s been throughout his career.
“The good news for Devin is, he has everything to get through this and come out better from the other side,” Boone said on Sunday (h/t Bryan Hoch). “That’s my expectation. Right now, it’s best for everyone to pull him out of that role and try to start building some good rhythm, confidence and momentum. I fully expect him to be a central figure for us moving forward.”
The decision comes two days after Williams blew a save in the opening matchup against the Blue Jays. To the tune of raucous “We want [Luke] Weaver!” chants clamouring throughout Yankee Stadium, Williams spoiled a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth inning by giving up a single, hit-by-pitch, and a go-ahead, two-run double to Alejandro Kirk that ended his night before he could record an out.
Tyler Heineman, who replaced Kirk on the basepaths, scored off Mark Leiter Jr. to punctuate a devastating 4-2 loss for the Bronx Bombers.
Speaking with reporters after the contest, Boone didn’t rule out the possibility of utilizing Williams in lower-leverage spots for now.
“We’ll kind of talk through that stuff,” Boone said. “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 National League Reliever of the Year with the Milwaukee Brewers, made his way to the Bronx this season via trade, in exchange for longtime fan-favorite Nestor Cortes and prospect Caleb Durbin.
The hurler wields elite stuff, and the Yankees understand his value – he was a primary reason for the club lifting its facial hair ban, hoping that the longstanding rule wouldn’t influence his pending free agency.
Since moving to New York — months after giving up a dramatic home run to Pete Alonso in the NL Wild Card Series that lifted the Mets over the Brewers — he’s experienced severe growing pains as a Yankee.
From 2023 to 2024, Williams surrendered just 13 earned runs across 80.1 frames. Through his first eight innings wearing pinstripes, Williams has given up 10 earned runs for a swollen 11.25 ERA.
“Truthfully, I don’t know,” Williams said on Friday, when asked about why he’s struggling. “It’s something that I’ve been battling for most of the season. It’s getting pretty frustrating.”
While Williams works to recapture his airbending abilities, Boone noted that right-hander Luke Weaver will get “a lot” of save opportunities moving forward. Weaver, who thrived as the club’s closer toward the tail end of last season, has yet to give up a run through 13 frames this season.
