April 25, 2025; Bronx, NY — Yankees manager Aaron Boone takes the ball from reliever Devin Williams during a ninth-inning pitching change against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. (Brad Penner-USA Today Sports)
While losing Juan Soto in free agency was a big blow, the Yankees’ aggressive offseason moves — including the acquisition of Devin Williams — had many believing they could still be among the league’s elite. Williams was expected to be a major piece of that.
The Yankees landed Williams from the Brewers in exchange for Nestor Cortes and Caleb Durbin. Although Cortes is injured and Durbin has limited major league experience, the trade is already looking like a misstep for New York.
Williams has struggled mightily since arriving in the Bronx, allowing 12 runs (10 earned) across just eight innings. On Friday, he suffered his first blown save of the season, giving up three runs without recording an out against a Blue Jays lineup that’s not exactly known for its offense.
Following the game, Aaron Boone hinted at the possibility of a shift in Williams’ role.
Boone wouldn’t confirm if a change is coming but responded “we’ll see” when asked if Williams might move to lower-pressure situations. — Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner), April 26, 2025
While Boone didn’t directly announce anything, his comments strongly suggest that Williams’ days as the closer — at least for now — could be numbered.
A role change seems inevitable for Devin Williams
Given his struggles, Boone may have no choice but to remove Williams from high-leverage spots until he regains form. Williams, historically one of the game’s most dominant relievers, has never looked this out of sorts.
Before this season, Williams carried a stellar 1.83 ERA over six MLB seasons and had never posted an ERA above 2.50 in any year where he pitched in at least 15 games. In 2024, he finished with a 1.25 ERA for Milwaukee. While postseason inconsistencies have plagued him, his regular-season dominance made him a valuable addition — and one the Yankees paid a steep price for.
Luckily for New York, they have options. Luke Weaver, who closed games last postseason, has been outstanding this year, tossing 13 scoreless innings across 11 appearances. Other arms like Fernando Cruz, Mark Leiter Jr., and Tim Hill also give Boone alternatives to turn to in tight spots.
Williams still has the talent to bounce back, but a temporary move to low-leverage situations might be necessary to get him back on track.
