The New York Yankees acquired a pitcher who was arguably considered to be the best reliever in the National League this past offseason. The reliever, Devin Williams, has failed to make a smooth transition to the American League, however. He struggled once again on Monday in a 4-3 loss to the San Diego Padres, as Williams surrendered three runs across 0.2 innings of work. After the game, Williams commented on his difficult start to his Yankees career, via Jorge Castillo of ESPN.“I feel good, I feel confident on the mound. I felt like I was in a good spot,” Williams said. “It’s one of those nights where you’re not only battling the hitter, I was battling the mound. But we’re all given the same set of circumstances and I couldn’t pull through tonight.”
Williams said he still feels “confident on the mound.” Confidence is everything, and it often plays a role when players struggle with the Yankees. New York is a huge market and Yankees fans are not shy about letting players know when they are in a slump. Many stars have struggled to find success in New York after previously playing in smaller markets.
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The Yankees acquired Williams in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers this past offseason. Williams, a two-time All-Star, had never recorded an ERA of above 3.95 in his career heading into 2025. He had not recorded an ERA of above 1.93 since the 2022 season. Additionally, Williams saved 36 games in 2023.
Acquiring him made sense for a Yankees ball club that wanted a proven closer. Williams’ 2025 ERA now stands at 10.03, though. He has lost control of the closer role after previously saving four games for the team as well.
New York may need to consider having him pitch in low-leverage situations for a few weeks as he attempts to get back on track. Williams is in a slump, but he still features the potential of an elite closer.
