The New York Yankees‘ season has not gone as expected. Despite Aaron Judge putting up an MVP-caliber season and the offense being the best in the American League, this team is barely hanging onto a playoff spot. It doesn’t take a genius to recognize that New York’s problems stem from two things: injuries and pitching. More specifically, the biggest issue has been the bullpen, with closer Devin Williams at the forefront of the struggles.
Scout’s Take on Devin Williams
Earlier this morning, Randy Miller of NJ Advanced Media reported on his conversation with an American League scout regarding Devin Williams. The scout had previously predicted that Williams would struggle in the Big Apple.
“I knew it,” the scout said. “This guy is not built for New York…Devin was great in Milwaukee, but the expectancy of winning there is totally different from New York. If you come in second in Milwaukee, fans will put up with it. If you don’t win in New York, get the hell out. The Yankees aren’t winning and Devin Williams is one of the reasons. It’s too bad because everyone loves his arm. His changeup, the Airbender, is one of the best pitches in the game. But I never thought he was the kind of guy who could thrive in New York and he’s proving me right.”
The unnamed scout was happy to toot his own horn, but if that was his offseason take, then it’s fair. No one expected Williams to play like this. His career numbers before New York were amazing. Over 241 appearances, he had a 1.83 ERA and 375 strikeouts. Williams wasn’t just a good pitcher in Milwaukee; he was one of the very best in the entire league, and his “airbender” nickname was completely warranted. That’s what makes this 2025 season so strange. No other way to describe it besides saying he’s been terrible.
How Bad has Williams been for the Yankees?
Williams‘ ERA has skyrocketed to 5.44. However, the part that doesn’t add up is that his underlying statistics aren’t all that much worse. He’s walking guys at a high rate, but that’s nothing new. He’s still generating whiffs, chase, and strikeouts at a top rate in the MLB. Okay, so it must be the short porch and the home runs he’s given up, right? Nope. He’s only given up four bombs all season. To make matters even more confusing, Williams is also allowing under a .700 OPS in high leverage situations. It’s not about the clutch factor either.
Across the board, his advanced metrics are slightly worse, but not nearly enough to explain his drop-off in performance. While Yankees fans certainly don’t want to hear this, Devin Williams may just be getting unlucky.
Good thing for Williams, the season isn’t over. If New York can hang on to a playoff spot, he’s going to continue to get opportunities to prove himself. The beauty of sports is that no matter how you play in the regular season, if you’re a postseason hero, all is forgotten. If Devin Williams is going to salvage his Yankees’ career, he’s going to have to shove in October. Fortunately, the numbers do indeed say he’s “built” for it.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Devin Williams is “Not Built for New York” appeared first on Heavy Sports.