Closer Devin Williams has rattled off 10 straight scoreless appearances for the New York Mets since making a crucial change that has turned his season around.
Williams is now positioning his glove up by his chest after opening the year with his hands at his waist, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The right-hander had initially moved his hand positioning to avoid pitch tipping concerns, but ditched the maneuver after scuffling to a 10.29 ERA in his first nine outings.
Despite a misplay in center field by rookie A.J. Ewing, Williams slammed the door on the Washington Nationals for his seventh save on Thursday, May 21. He’s racked up five saves this month.
“I feel like I’m on a good streak here,” Williams said, relayed by DiComo. “Just trying to keep it going.”
Devin Williams Tweaks Hand Position, Completely Flips Season Around
The Mets handed Williams a hefty three-year, $51 million contract this past offseason. The deal looked like a disaster for New York in mid-April. Williams opened the season with five scoreless appearances. The Mets then hit a cold streak, keeping the closer on the bench for more than a week. Williams finally appeared in a non-save situation on Wednesday, April 15, against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The reigning World Series champs tagged him for four earned runs. Williams recorded just one out.
The hiccup against the Dodgers was just the start of Williams’ slide. He coughed up the lead in the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs in his next appearance. The Mets fell in extra innings, pushing their losing streak to 11 games. Williams entered a tie game against the Minnesota Twins and was charged with two earned runs. He was handed his first loss as a Met. Williams choked another lead vs. the Twins, but a comeback from the offense helped him get his first win with the club.
The two troubling outings against Minnesota finally prompted a change for Williams. He restored his hands to the previous position, leading to a remarkable turnaround. The righty has gone 9.2 innings without allowing a run. He’s permitted just two hits in that span. One of those knocks probably should’ve been fielded cleanly by Ewing.
Williams Showing He’s Worth the Investment
The Mets chose to pluck two relievers from the New York Yankees over the winter. Luke Weaver came over with Williams, with the Mets basically taking the back end of the Yankees’ bullpen. Williams scuffled to a 4.79 ERA in 67 appearances with the Yankees. He managed 18 saves, but lost the closer role to David Bednar after the trade deadline. It was easily the worst season of the former Milwaukee Brewers reliever’s career.
Williams still has an unsightly 4.32 ERA this year, but he’s clearly righted the ship. His bounce-back effort, along with strong production from Weaver, is a big reason why the Mets are 12-7 in May. The offseason signing is shaping up to be a big win for owner Steve Cohen and company, especially considering the alternatives. The Yankees stood pat and are struggling to find reliable relief options. The Dodgers signed former Mets closer Edwin Diaz, and he went down with a major elbow injury.
Mets Closer Devin Williams Made Season-Saving Adjustment