The New York Yankees opened the 2025 season with a bullpen question that nearly backfired in their face.
Trading away fan-favorite starter Nestor Cortes and promising infielder Caleb Durbin for a struggling closer raised plenty of eyebrows early on.
But Devin Williams was never meant to be a spring savior — he was built for the moments that decide October.
And after weeks of turbulence, the numbers are now showing why general manager Brian Cashman made the move in the first place.
A slow start, then a dominant turn
Williams was shaky out of the gate, and fans let him hear it every step of the way in Yankee Stadium.
His ERA ballooned early, his command wavered, and the whispers grew louder that maybe the Yankees gave up too much.
But baseball, like weather, is seasonal. And in Williams’ case, the clouds are clearing.
He’s now thrown seven consecutive scoreless appearances, including another clean inning Thursday to complete a sweep of the Texas Rangers.
Tossing just 11 pitches and striking out one, Williams brought his ERA down to 6.50 — still inflated, but falling fast.
The advanced stats prove he’s still elite
Strip away the early blemishes, and you start to see the familiar shape of a dominant closer.
Williams currently ranks in the 90th percentile in whiff rate, showing that his stuff is still generating ugly swings from hitters.
His strikeout rate sits in the 82nd percentile, and he’s keeping barrels, hard contact, and exit velocity to a minimum.
The issue? Walks.
His control hasn’t fully locked in yet, but that trend is stabilizing, and the rest of his profile suggests excellence is coming.
Changeup mastery is the key to his resurgence
The biggest weapon in Williams’ arsenal — as always — is his signature changeup.
This year, the Yankees increased its usage by 10%, and the results have been overwhelming in the best way possible.
Opponents are hitting just .184 off the pitch with a minuscule .237 slugging percentage.
His fastball, while hittable at times (.320 average), complements the changeup well when sequenced properly.
This one-two punch is what makes Williams so deadly late in games — and why the Yankees bet on him when it mattered most.
Built for October, not April
This trade was never about April or May. It was about October.
Williams is the kind of closer who makes a one-run lead feel like a four-run cushion in the postseason.
His early struggles only made the narrative more dramatic, but now, the form is following.
The Yankees didn’t just make a good move — they may have made the move that swings a playoff series.
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