The New York Yankees entered the offseason with hopes of reinforcing their bullpen by acquiring All-Star closer Devin Williams from the Brewers. However, Williams’ performance with the Yankees has been concerning, as he has posted a 6.75 ERA in 23 games, contrasting sharply with his impressive 1.83 ERA during six seasons in Milwaukee.
Williams, who had previously demonstrated his ability to bounce back after slow starts, is facing unprecedented struggles, with his walk rate escalating to 5.4 walks per nine innings—a career high—and his strikeouts dropping to 11.7 per nine, a career low. This downward trend has led to speculation that he may simply not be effective as a closer for the Yankees.
Notably, when Williams was removed from the closer role after a series of challenging outings, his performance began to improve. In his subsequent appearances as a setup man, he regained much of his form, with only one rough outing against the Padres marred by weather conditions. This raises valid points about his suitability for the ninth inning specifically, as evidenced by his statistics showing a significant discrepancy between his performance in the ninth compared to other innings.
In the ninth inning, Williams has allowed 12 earned runs over 8.2 innings pitched, while yielding only three earned runs in 11.1 innings in all other situations. This pattern indicates that he may excel in a setup role, especially with Luke Weaver thriving as the current closer, holding an extraordinary 0.73 ERA.
With this newfound clarity regarding Williams’ role, the Yankees can potentially optimize their bullpen strategy. Utilizing Williams as a setup man alongside Weaver could provide an exciting and formidable combination for the team, turning perceived setbacks into opportunities for leveraging their pitcher’s strengths. Both Williams and the Yankees have the potential to navigate this challenging period and emerge stronger on the field.