Devin Williams’ disastrous opening month in pinstripes forced the Yankees’ hand. On Friday night, he blew a save in noncompetitive fashion against the Blue Jays, failing to record even a single out. His ERA ballooned to an unsightly 11.25, and as Andrew Mearns of Pinstripe Alley puts it, “his whiffs are down, he’s walking the ballpark, his command has been absent, and he exudes no confidence on the hill.”
Despite Williams’ pedigree — including two NL Reliever of the Year awards with Milwaukee — it’s become clear that keeping him in the closer role would be reckless right now. Though Friday technically marked his first blown save, it didn’t account for prior meltdowns, including a four-run collapse against Tampa on April 19. Mearns noted that by one fan survey, Williams was considered “an even bigger concern than a slumping everyday player Cody Bellinger.”
A Temporary Solution?
Manager Aaron Boone, perhaps remembering how long the Yankees clung to Clay Holmes last year, acted swiftly this time. As originally reported by YES Network’s Jack Curry, the change is currently temporary. The Yankees hope Williams can reset in low-leverage situations and eventually become a key bullpen contributor.
In the meantime, Luke Weaver is expected to handle most of the save chances, backed up by Fernando Cruz and Ian Hamilton. With the AL East projected to be a dogfight all year, the Yankees couldn’t risk losing more close games. They had to act — and for once, they didn’t wait too long.
“We’ll still talk through this. I haven’t seen Devin yet. We’ll try to do what’s best for the team and Devin,” Boone told MLB.com over the weekend. “We’ll just get through this bump in the road. I’m still expecting great things.”
‘No Confidence;’ Yankees Make Major Move in Response to Devin Williams Disaster: Report