Yankees’ Devin Williams Finds Form After Early Season Struggles

New York, NY – Yankees reliever Devin Williams is making strides after struggling early in the season. Pitching coach Matt Blake noted that Williams faced significant challenges earlier this year, allowing 10 earned runs in just eight innings throughout his first 10 appearances.

Williams joined the Yankees after a stint with the Milwaukee Brewers, where he had established a strong reputation as a reliable pitcher. However, his performance in New York started poorly, raising eyebrows and prompting questions from the coaching staff. “It was shocking to everybody,” Blake said, highlighting the concern within the organization.

In recent weeks, despite a hamstring strain limiting his playing time, Williams has shown improvement. He recorded a whiff rate of 39.6 percent with his changeup and 47.1 percent with his four-seamer in May, numbers that closely mirror his successful runs with the Brewers.

Blake pointed out that Williams may have been over-reliant on his changeup and lacked command of his fastball early in the season. “We had to get it fixed on the fly,” he commented, emphasizing the adjustments made to help Williams regain his confidence.

Since May 7, Williams has improved his strikeout rate from 11.4 to 12.8 per nine innings and decreased his walks from 4.5 to 1.5 per nine innings. Over his last 13 appearances, he has struck out 17 batters while only walking two, showcasing a WHIP of 0.830.

Blake found success in removing Williams from the closer role temporarily while maintaining a strong relationship with him. “That freed us up to get him back on track,” Blake explained, hoping to build on this progress.

While questions still linger about his closer potential, Blake expresses optimism. “He’s in a good place and the rhythm of his attack plan to batters has gotten stronger,” he said. As Williams continues to develop, he is positioned for a successful return to prominence in the Yankees’ bullpen.