The New York Yankees are staring at a difficult decision regarding their bullpen hierarchy.
Devin Williams was brought in to be the finishing piece for a World Series run, but so far, he’s looked more like a weak link than a lock-down closer.
Another rough outing for Williams sparks reconsideration
On Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays, Williams once again found himself in trouble.
He allowed three earned runs in the ninth inning, blowing a one-run lead and sinking the Yankees in what should have been a winnable game.
Williams now hosts an ugly 11.25 ERA across eight innings this season.
His strikeout rate has dipped dramatically, and perhaps more concerning, he’s walking 17.1% of batters he faces — ranking in just the 5th percentile leaguewide.
Aaron Boone hints at a closer shakeup
Following Friday’s meltdown, Yankees manager Aaron Boone made it clear that everything is on the table.
“We’ll see,” Boone said when asked about changing Williams’ role. “We’ll kind of talk through that stuff. This is raw right now. We want to do everything we can to get him right because we know how good he is and how valuable he’s going to be for us.”
Boone still believes in Williams’ talent, but reality is starting to set in.
“He’s been one of the dominant closers in the league. I know the results haven’t been great yet. A lot of the stuff is still there, the profile of the changeup is still there… He hasn’t gotten swung and miss. He’s been behind in the count a little bit. Once he starts flipping that and starts getting some count leverage, I expect him to go back to being the dominant closer he’s been.”
Luke Weaver could take over high-leverage situations
If the Yankees do make a change, Luke Weaver seems like the logical next man up.
Weaver has been lights out this season, tossing 13 scoreless innings while sporting a 100% left-on-base rate and striking out nine batters per nine innings.
Unlike Williams, Weaver looks calm and controlled when the game is on the line.
It’s like handing the steering wheel to the responsible older brother while the hotshot younger sibling cools off for a bit.
Weaver’s fastball and changeup combo has been nearly unhittable, and he has the mentality to handle high-pressure spots without crumbling.
The Yankees have a simple choice
At this point, keeping Williams in the closer role feels like forcing a square peg into a round hole.
Letting him regain his form in lower-leverage spots while riding Weaver’s hot hand seems like the best course of action.
It’s a long season, and if the Yankees want Williams back to his dominant self by October, patience — and a little strategic rethinking — will be critical.