The New York Yankees have hit a serious skid. Just a couple of weeks ago, they were cruising near the top of the standings, looking every bit like one of the most complete teams in baseball.

Now? Not so much.

The wheels haven’t just come loose – they’ve flown off. And when a team unravels this quickly, it doesn’t take long for fingers to get pointed.

At the center of that spotlight right now: manager Aaron Boone and struggling closer Devin Williams.

Williams, once considered arguably one of the best bullpen arms in the game, just hasn’t looked like himself in pinstripes. The numbers tell the story – a 5.60 ERA and an inconsistent role that’s seen him shuffled in and out of save situations.

For a reliever brought in to slam the door shut in the ninth, that’s a problem. A big one.

This was supposed to be a top-of-the-line bullpen addition. Williams had a track record of dominance – elite movement, deceptive tunneling, lights-out stuff.

But instead of anchoring the back end of games, he’s become a major liability in tight situations. And in New York, where every single outing feels like it’s under the microscope, that kind of performance doesn’t go unnoticed.

There’s chatter now about what the Yankees could or should do with Williams. Some league insiders have speculated about the possibility of the Yankees cutting bait entirely – even floating the idea of placing him on waivers.

On paper, that’s a big move. When you pick up a reliever with Williams’ resume, you’re expecting a game-changer.

When that doesn’t happen, it’s natural to explore options. But in this case, waiving him would be more of a statement than a strategy.

Let’s break this down. Williams hasn’t been good, no question about it.

But he’s still a pitcher with a track record of success and elite tools. The Yankees don’t need to ditch him – they just need to recalibrate how they use him.

And that’s exactly what Aaron Boone appears to be doing. He’s already started deploying Williams in lower-stress spots, situations where the game isn’t hanging in the balance and the pressure isn’t quite as suffocating as a one-run game in the ninth.

It’s a smart adjustment. Instead of treating him like a failed closer, think of him as a high-powered arm who, for now, is best suited to eat innings or hold a lead in the sixth or seventh – the kind of role that allows him to find his footing again without costing the Yankees wins.

If he rounds back into form – and with the kind of stuff he has, that’s not out of the question – then there’s flexibility to ramp him back up. If not, he still holds value as a depth piece in one of the most bullpen-dependent teams in baseball.

This isn’t about cutting ties just because it hasn’t worked out immediately. It’s about maximizing what you have – and right now, what the Yankees have is an embattled but talented reliever trying to regain his edge.

Long-term, who knows where this ends up? Maybe Williams and the Yankees go their separate ways in the offseason.

Maybe they find common ground and give it another shot with a full offseason reset. But for now, tapping into his strengths in a lower-leverage role might be the best play.

Because even in a rough stretch, there’s no question that Devin Williams still has the tools that once made him one of baseball’s scariest relief arms. The Yankees just need to be smart – not reactionary – about how they manage that from here.