When the New York Yankees acquired Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers, expectations couldn’t have been much higher.
Trading Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin signaled the team’s commitment to securing one of baseball’s elite relievers — albeit entering a contract year.
Williams, however, hasn’t delivered the stability New York envisioned, instead enduring one of the most uneven seasons of his career.
The 30-year-old currently holds a 4.91 ERA across 51.1 innings, his worst stretch since his rookie year back in 2019.
A season of frustrating inconsistency
The most alarming part of Williams’ performance has been his inability to string together consistent results from outing to outing.
While he still owns a gaudy 12.97 strikeouts per nine, his left-on-base rate of 53.7% highlights missed opportunities in key spots.
Even his 44.3% ground ball rate hasn’t bailed him out, as command lapses have led to rallies that should’ve been avoided.
He posted a 4.58 ERA before the All-Star break and an even higher 5.63 ERA following it, underscoring the struggles.
Recent outings provide a glimmer of hope
Despite the overall numbers, Williams has shown flashes of the dominant closer the Yankees believed they were acquiring.
He’s now tossed three consecutive scoreless appearances, capped by a masterful showing against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.
In that outing, Williams struck out three hitters on just 13 pitches, a snapshot of his elite strikeout arsenal at work.
That type of performance is exactly what the Yankees need as they prepare for the grind of postseason baseball.
Confidence from within the clubhouse
Manager Aaron Boone emphasized his faith in Williams after Thursday’s game, pointing to his ability to handle adversity throughout the year.
“Tonight was lights out. He’s responded to adversity well. At the start of the season, he did and got through that and was really consistent for a couple months. He had a couple weeks there where he struggled again but has responded. I got a ton of confidence in what he’s bringing to the table every night he walks out there. It’s been a lot of that right there. Just kind of looking at his numbers up there on the board, he’s been dominant most of the season in and around some struggles. I feel like he’s in a great place right now and obviously a huge part of what we’re doing down there,” Boone said, via Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.
Building confidence in the right spots
Boone’s comments suggest the Yankees will continue easing Williams into lower-leverage situations until his rhythm fully returns.
That strategy could help restore confidence while minimizing the risk of late-game collapses in high-pressure moments.
Once he’s settled, Williams still has the repertoire to dominate hitters and reclaim the form that made him so coveted.
For the Yankees, it’s about timing—getting Williams peaking as the postseason begins rather than wasting bullets in September.
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The key to October success
Every championship-caliber team relies on a dominant closer, and the Yankees are banking on Williams becoming that presence.
Even in a down year, his strikeout ability and raw stuff remain undeniable, making him a dangerous weapon if consistent.
If these recent outings are a sign of momentum, New York could be unlocking the version of Williams they dreamed of.
For a team built on pitching depth, his resurgence may ultimately decide how far the Yankees go in October.