It has been an ominously rough start for New York Yankees closer Devin Williams. He has struggled mightily through the start of the season, and that became amplified when he was unable to hold a four-run ninth inning lead against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, a game in which the Yankees would lose 10-8 in extra innings.
Yankees’ Devin Williams could be struggling to adapt to playing in a bigger spotlight
Williams now has allowed eight earned runs in eight innings this season, which is more than double the amount of earned runs he allowed last season with the Milwaukee Brewers. The right-hander was consistently tabbed as a top closer in baseball before the season, but he is currently in a rut that seems hard to get out of.
NJ.com’s Randy Miller noted that Williams might be struggling to adapt to playing in front of a more passionate fan base in New York. The concept is not a wild one, as many players have had a tough time adjusting to playing in a much bigger spotlight.
“Williams doesn’t seem to be the kind of guy that will be able to handle a lot of boos if Yankees fans turn on him, and there will be a whole lot of Bronx cheers howled his way if he doesn’t start pitching like he can. Some players are bothered by the noise from fans and media when there’s adversity,” Miller wrote.
The Yankees need Williams to snap out of his funk
It isn’t out of the realm of possibilities that Williams could be having trouble adapting to a new environment. His first appearance as a Yankee on Opening Day didn’t make things easier, as it was against his former team in the Brewers, in a save situation, an outing in which he nearly blew the save but ultimately nailed it down.
The biggest concern with Williams has been the walks and soft contact. He has walked seven batters already this season after walking just 11 all of last season, and has had trouble locating his changeup, which has been his money pitch for most of his career.
The Yankees need Williams to get into a groove soon and resemble the All-Star form that he has been most of his career. Despite his struggles, they are off to a strong 14-8 start, but they cannot afford to throw games away as a result of blown saves.
Changes to the closer’s role shouldn’t be expected this soon into the season, but if Williams’ struggles continue to mount, perhaps that will become a conversation worth having.