Devin Williams didn’t enjoy the smoothest return to the closer’s role on Tuesday night, but he did get the job done in the Yankees’ narrow 3-2 win over the Guardians at Yankee Stadium.
With Luke Weaver hitting the injured list with a left hamstring strain earlier in the day, Williams entered Tuesday’s game with the Yankees up, 3-1, in the ninth inning. He quickly induced a flyout from pinch-hitter Kyle Manzardo, but the veteran Carlos Santana ended a nine-pitch at-bat with a double.
Williams then struck out Gabriel Arias with his signature Airbender changeup, but another pinch-hitter, Daniel Schneemann, cut the deficit to one by bouncing a single through the hole between first and second base.
Schneemann then stole second, putting the tying run in scoring position with two away. Fortunately for Williams, Bo Naylor flew out after a seven-pitch at-bat to end the game. The right-handed Williams needed 30 total pitches to get his sixth save of the season.
“I liked his mix,” Aaron Boone said afterward. “I liked his pitch decisions. I thought Santana had a great at-bat. I thought Devin really executed a lot within that too. [Santana] was able to spoil some heaters, just kind of touch some of his good changeups down to extend the at-bat before he’s able to put one in the gap. And then Schneemann beats him in the hole.
“I thought he threw the ball pretty well, but they took some tough at-bats against him.”
Williams didn’t have any issues with his outing, either. He credited Cleveland, particularly Santana, for putting together quality at-bats.
“I feel really good,” Williams said. “I feel confident. I felt really good tonight.”
Acquired from the Brewers over the offseason, Williams is expected to handle most save opportunities with Weaver sidelined.
“It’s the job that they need me to do now,” he said. “So I’m just trying to do my best to help the team.”
Williams began the year as the Yankees’ closer, but the two-time National League Reliever of the Year recorded an 11.25 ERA, two losses and a blown save over his first 10 games with the team. As Williams’ comfort in New York was questioned, Boone stripped him of closing duties and put Weaver in the role.
Weaver thrived, tallying a 1.05 ERA and eight saves before going on the IL.
Following Tuesday’s game, Williams now has a 7.50 ERA in save situations and a 6.35 ERA overall. He’s had one other save opportunity since he was initially removed from the closer’s role, a May 27 outing in which Weaver was unavailable.
Just as he did on Tuesday, Williams got the save, but in wobbly fashion. That night, he allowed two runs in a 3-2 win.
Williams has mostly been sharp since losing the closer’s job, though. Prior to Tuesday, he did not permit an earned run in 13 of his last 15 games. He also had a 1.80 ERA over his last 11 games.
Weaver said that Williams has been at “full force,” while Boone was pleased with the reliever’s confidence and conviction on Tuesday night.
“He’s been throwing the ball really well, really for the better part of a month, and I don’t expect that to change now with the role changing a little bit,” the manager added. “The role he was in tonight is what he knows.
“He’s in a really good place and throwing the ball the way that’ll allow him to excel in the role.”
That remains to be seen, as Williams has caused lots of nail-biting compared to Weaver’s mostly drama-free saves. However, Williams insisted that he doesn’t see a difference when it comes to pitching the ninth, and he feels he’s better positioned for success than he was when the season began.
“I don’t view it as any different,” he said of closing. “The runs count the same in the seventh and eighth as well.
“I’m in a routine now. I was still figuring it out at the beginning of the year. It’s a big adjustment to make, just in life. Like getting to the field every day, it was like you gotta figure out when you gotta leave and what time do I need to leave to be there when I want to be there? Things like that.
“I’m in a good rhythm right now. “
