NEW YORK — Righty reliever Devin Williams won’t be closing games for the New York Yankees for a while.
“For right now,” manager Aaron Boone said Sunday morning, “I’m going to take him out of that role.”
It was the expected move after Williams blew Friday night’s save in a 4-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, continuing his early struggles. Through 10 appearances, Williams is 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA and four saves.
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He’s given up 10 earned runs. Last season, he gave up just three earned runs in 22 appearances.
Righty Luke Weaver will likely get the majority of save opportunities for the Yankees, who are atop the American League East at 15-11 and are slated for a doubleheader against the Blue Jays on Sunday.
Boone said he spoke with Williams about the decision and Williams accepted it.
“I thought we had a really good conversation yesterday about it,” Boone said. “He’s ready to do whatever.”
Boone said he told the 30-year-old that he’s “still got everything to be great.”
“This is a guy who’s in the prime of his career,” the manager said. “He’s just going through it and it happens. As I tell you guys, and I tell our players all the time, you make a career at this long enough and you’re going to face some challenging moments, you’re going to face some adversity along the way. The good news for Devin is that he’s got everything to get through this and come out better on the other side.”
On Friday night, Williams was at a loss for why he wasn’t pitching well.
“Truthfully, I don’t know,” he said. “It’s been something I’ve been battling for most of the season. So, it’s getting pretty frustrating. … Nothing’s working right now.”
Devin Williams: “I’m just going to keep working.”#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/95TfY6ITh9
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) April 26, 2025
The Yankees acquired Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for lefty starting pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. and infield prospect Caleb Durbin in the winter. He’s making $8.6 million and will be a free agent after this season.
Williams has been one of the best relievers in the game since he debuted in 2019. He had a 1.83 career ERA in 241 games going into this season. He’s a two-time All-Star. In 2020, he won the National League Rookie of the Year and he finished seventh in the Cy Young Award race.
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Williams’ signature pitch, the changeup, hasn’t been as effective as it’s been in the past. He’s produced just a 22 percent whiff rate with it this year compared to 48.8 percent in 2024. His average fastball velocity has dropped to 93.7 mph this year compared to 94.7 mph last year.
Williams has faced constant boos from Yankees fans in the Bronx. Is he having trouble adjusting to his new surroundings?
“I’m sure there’s some shock to that. … Devin’s really been nothing but successful at the big-league level,” Boone said. “He’s pretty much dominated.”
Boone said Williams could benefit from seeing success in situations with less pressure on him.
“I think the biggest thing for a guy as good as he is, as good as his track record is and where he is from an age standpoint in the prime of his career, it’s just about having it start to click and getting in a good rhythm and then off we go,” Boone said.
Weaver, 31, hasn’t given up an earned run over 11 appearances. Last season, he had a 2.89 ERA in 62 tries and took over as the Yankees’ closer when Clay Holmes sputtered late in the season. In the offseason, the Yankees picked up his $2.5 million option for 2025. Last season was Weaver’s first as a full-time reliever.
“Look,” Boone said, “with all that he’s gone through in his career, his emergence throughout the entire year last year to getting massive outs and having big-time success throughout the postseason is a confidence builder.”
(Photo: Elsa / Getty Images)
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