Yankees relief pitcher Devin Williams is struggling, with the team's bullpen in disarray; "I'm at a loss for words" is Williams' response.
Struggling Devin Williams Continues to Falter for Yankees
Devin Williams, the reliever acquired by the New York Yankees during the offseason, has been struggling to find his form in the Bronx. Over his last eight appearances since the All-Star break, Williams has posted a 9.39 ERA, allowing 26 earned runs – a number equal to what he surrendered across three seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Yankees' bullpen, which they bolstered at the trade deadline, has not shown much improvement, with the team going 18-29 in their last 47 games. This poor performance was evident in a recent game against the Texas Rangers, where Williams yielded a double, walked two batters, and allowed a game-deciding hit in the eighth inning, resulting in a 2-0 loss for the Yankees.
Williams' ERA with the Yankees (5.44) is significantly higher than his career ERA (1.83) with the Brewers. Despite these struggles, he expressed disappointment and a willingness to continue working and helping the team.
Manager Aaron Boone made the decision to use Williams in the eighth inning of a scoreless game against the Rangers, choosing him over Mark Leiter or Tim Hill. However, this move backfired, as the right-handed pitcher was unable to hold the lead, with three of the four Rangers batters leading off the inning being right-handed.
The Yankees are in a difficult situation with their closer, as Williams blew a save in the ninth inning in the previous game, which seemed to cost him his job. With roughly seven weeks left in the regular season, Williams may be running out of opportunities to get meaningful innings and turn his season around.
In a positive note, Camilo Doval and Luke Weaver pitched the sixth and seventh innings of the game, respectively, while Rowdy Tellez scored a pair of runs in the eighth inning with a single to center field. The Yankees will need to address their bullpen issues if they hope to make a playoff push in the coming weeks.
Devin Williams' struggles with the Yankees have extended to baseball's MLB as he continues to post an inflated ERA, surpassing his stellar performance with the Milwaukee Brewers. Despite the recent setbacks, the right-handed reliever has shown determination to help turn the Yankees' fortunes around, especially in the intricate world of sports where redemption is always possible.
