On any given pitch, Devin Williams can look unhittable — or he can lose command completely, unraveling in dramatic fashion.
The New York Yankees didn’t acquire him from Milwaukee to be unpredictable; they brought him in to lock down games.
Instead, Williams has been a frustrating enigma, one moment dazzling hitters, the next gifting them free passes and opportunities.
For a team fighting to reclaim control in the American League East, that level of volatility simply won’t cut it.
A costly gamble that hasn’t paid off
The Yankees gave up starting pitcher Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin to land Williams for a single season.
On paper, it was a bold win-now move, sacrificing depth to add one of baseball’s most dominant recent relievers.
But Williams has delivered his worst campaign yet, posting a 5.60 ERA over 53 innings — by far his career low point.
At 30 years old, this isn’t the version of Williams the Yankees expected when making such a high-profile transaction.
Underlying metrics tell a different story
Williams still flashes brilliance, ranking in the 98th percentile in strikeout rate, whiff rate, and 96th in chase rate this season.
He’s striking out 13.25 batters per nine innings, numbers that scream dominance on the surface and highlight his swing-and-miss ability.
Yet the issues remain glaring: 3.91 walks per nine and a career-worst (min 20 IPs) 0.85 home runs allowed per nine innings.
Those lapses undo the positives, creating too many high-pressure jams where his elite changeup becomes a wasted weapon.
Recent meltdown against Houston raises alarms
The Yankees trusted Williams in the eighth inning on Wednesday against Houston, and the result was disastrous for the bullpen.
He walked three batters and gave up four earned runs before being pulled, leaving Camilo Doval to clean up.
Instead, Doval allowed inherited runners to score, compounding the damage, though most of the collapse fell on Williams’ shoulders.
It wasn’t just a bad outing — it was the latest reminder that he can’t be trusted in big moments.
The Yankees must redefine his role
Right now, the only viable path forward is moving Williams into a permanent low-leverage bullpen role.
Let him rebuild confidence against weaker lineups and late-game situations where the stakes aren’t nearly as suffocating.
If he can stack five or six consecutive dominant appearances, then perhaps the Yankees can revisit his high-leverage usage.
But trotting him out in key innings while his command wavers is a recipe for disaster down the stretch.
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A bullpen of volatility
The Yankees invested heavily in relievers this season, but the results have felt like a merry-go-round of inconsistency.
One night they dominate, the next they implode, wasting quality starts and putting unnecessary strain on the rotation.
For a team with championship aspirations, that’s unacceptable, and Williams’ struggles embody the bullpen’s broader lack of reliability.
If he can’t find stability soon, the Yankees will need to rely on others to protect their playoff positioning.
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