The New York Yankees finished off the finale against the Cleveland Guardians Wednesday afternoon, taking the game 5-1 to avoid the sweep. In the process, both teams also secured an entire three-game set without either de facto closer ever entering a game.
Emmanuel Clase, who was punted around frigid Cleveland by the Yankees last October, has started the 2025 season on a cold snap, posting a 7.84 ERA in 11 games. After throwing 30 pitches on Sunday against the Pirates, many of them bad, Clase was held out of the first two games of this series. Prior to the finale on Wednesday, the Guardians announced he was battling some form of shoulder discomfort.
Meanwhile, Devin Williams has been in the Yankees’ icebox since Saturday afternoon when, with no warning, all of his previous struggles built upon each other and cascaded in a disastrous wave. The Yankees took a safe 8-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth against a tepid Rays team after extending their lead by two runs in the top of the frame. They did not keep it. Williams recorded the first out, then let the doors fall off.
The Yankees only experienced one ninth inning this series with a lead, and it was Wednesday’s 5-1 advantage. After Carlos Rodón covered seven frames and a rested Fernando Cruz knifed through the top of the Guardians’ lineup, Aaron Boone turned to Luke Weaver to handle the four-run cushion (the very same advantage that killed Williams’ most recent outing).
Despite some hard contact (which Boone laughed about in the postgame), Weaver escaped unscathed, allowing one hit and three fly outs on 11 pitches. Williams, after the base runner took first, warmed up, but never entered. After the game, Boone addressed the decision, but only in the briefest of terms.
“We got [Williams] up, so just reading the situation,” Boone said, without a hint in either direction.
Aaron Boone briefly discusses choosing Luke Weaver over Devin Williams in Yankees’ win over Guardians
Boone made sure to note that Williams hadn’t disappeared to another realm. He was ready to pitch, and might’ve if Weaver had gotten into trouble (should’ve been reversed, but … alas).
It’s not the worst thing in the world that things played out the way they did, though. Weaver finished things off quickly. Williams warmed up, avoiding controversy. The Yankees have an off day Thursday and another chance to reset their closer. Hopefully — eventually — Boone feels confident enough in Williams to “read the situation” again and put him in.
