Devin Williams Shows Promise Again
Devin Williams has certainly had his ups and downs, hasn’t he? He came back recently, filling in while Luke Weaver is on the injured list, and there was even a stretch in May that really caught our attention.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are trying to figure out the best use for their right-handers. It felt like they were preparing for something significant, especially leading up to an offseason trade with the Bronx, but then there was a rough outing that followed.
Yet, Williams seems to be finding his footing, and at the perfect time, I think. He pitched a stellar eight innings during Sunday’s 7-2 win against Boston, leaving no room for error.
With the Yankees on the board, he faced a challenging opponent, Alex Bregman, who has been struggling significantly during the series. Williams managed to close out the innings flawlessly, showcasing his improvement.
This performance was particularly impressive because just a few days ago, he faced the Rays and had a solid game as well, closing it out with 10 innings on Wednesday and only conceding one run on Friday.
Since recovering from a tough stretch a couple of weeks ago, Williams has delivered seven strong outings in his setup role, even with David Bednar taking on closer duties.
With 6⅓ innings under his belt, he still hadn’t allowed a win, giving up only a couple of hits and walks while striking out 15 batters. It’s quite a turnaround.
Boone praised him, saying, “It’s good to see him performing consistently. His pitchers have quality, and that’s a testament to him.”
There’ve been some solid games from Williams since mid-May, but it’s those few disasters scattered throughout the season that still linger in the memory. There’s just something about maintaining that consistency that’s key for him.
When asked how he could keep this momentum, Boone kept it simple: “Just keep it up.” Williams needs to find a rhythm, and Boone emphasized the importance of mixing fastballs and changeups effectively.
While it’s been a mixed bag of performances this season, Boone did say that the earlier months showed promise. It’s all about staying in control and executing those pitches. If he can do that consistently, success is bound to follow.
