Devin Williams stepped up in the eighth inning, trying to keep the Yankees’ hopes alive in a tight game against a formidable Toronto lineup.
His first pitch, however, soared past the catcher and nearly went to the backstop.
But instead of another setback like the one he faced in Houston earlier in the week, Williams delivered a crucial scoreless inning in a 4-3 win over the Blue Jays, helping the Yankees close the gap in the standings.
The inning wasn’t smooth sailing, as Burger hit a single and managed to steal second base with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. up next.
Guerrero’s always been a tough opponent and has been particularly on fire lately.
Coming into the game, he had amassed 10 hits over his last four outings and recorded two more on Sunday. Still, Williams managed to get him out with a 3-2 changeup for the first out of the inning.
Alejandro Kirk then grounded out, but after Williams walked Ernie Clement, he got Thai France on a ground ball to end the threat.
Aaron Boone commented on Williams, noting, “He had to sort through a lot in his mind. He’s faced some tough situations, but he’s capable of handling big hitters in critical moments. Today’s performance was crucial.”
The pivotal moment came with Guerrero’s strikeout.
Williams explained, “I was just trying to keep it in the zone… hoping he’d hit something to the right side.” Instead, he connected with his best pitch, which he hadn’t always been able to rely on during his first year with the Yankees.
“That’s what I do,” Williams remarked, emphasizing his confidence in his trademark changeup.
He had faith going into the matchup against Guerrero, adding, “I feel good about myself in any game. I was trusted with this task, and I was glad to rise to the occasion.”
This marked the second consecutive day when the bullpen stepped up in a high-stakes situation, showcasing strong performances.
Luke Weaver, Fernando Cruz, and David Bedner collaborated for three scoreless innings after Lewis Gill’s solid outing on Saturday. Following Max Fried’s seven innings on Sunday, Williams and Bedner pitched two shutout frames.
Even with significant roster changes, it seems the bullpen, which had struggled to meet expectations, may finally be coming together.
“As a unit, we’re better than what we’ve shown,” Williams said, expressing optimism about their potential as the season progresses.
The Yankees are counting on this momentum as they look towards October.
