Devin Williams isn’t under any illusions about facing tough games for the rest of the season.
Still, both he and the Yankees are hopeful that Wednesday’s 4-3 victory over the Padres could mark a turning point after what’s been a challenging season for him.
“I won’t pretend that I won’t have rough outings again,” Williams remarked after pitching into a jam at the top of the 10th inning but ultimately helping the team secure a win. “I’ve really taken ownership of my performance, and since that moment, I’ve been pitching with more confidence, which definitely showed today.”
Prior to Wednesday’s game, Williams had a troubling 10.03 ERA in his first 14 Yankee appearances, acknowledging that he had lost his closer role at one point, and that doubt affected his performance.
Interestingly, he noted that he felt he was finally back to the right mental and physical state.
On the mound, he faced a challenging situation against top Padres hitters like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, and though he struggled briefly, he managed to strike out Xander Bogaerts with a well-placed changeup that snuffed out the threat.
Manager Aaron Boone praised the team’s resilience, saying, “It takes a lot of courage to keep executing and get out of situations like that.” He expressed hope that this could open the door to more successful outings.
Meanwhile, Carlos Carrasco cleared waivers after being designated for assignment and is now expected to join Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, adding depth to the Yankees’ rotation, despite a not-so-great 5.91 ERA.
There was also some chatter about Mark Writer Jr. not having pitched since Saturday, but Boone reassured that all other relief pitchers have been used multiple times since, and it looks like they’re working through their situations well.
Aaron Judge’s impressive on-base streak ended at 32 games after he went hitless on Wednesday, striking out three times. He’s still boasting a solid .400 batting average and a 1.241 OPS this season.
