The New York Yankees earned a much-needed 4-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, and one of the most surprising heroes was Devin Williams. Just days after his meltdown in Houston, the right-hander survived a high-leverage appearance against the heart of Toronto’s order to keep New York within two games of first place.
According to the New York Post, Williams entered at the top of the eighth inning and faced a lineup punishing Yankees pitching all weekend. His outing started with a scare when his first pitch to pinch-hitter Addison Barger went to the backstop. Barger then singled and stole second, putting the tying run in scoring position with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at the plate.
Guerrero had been locked in, entering the game with 10 hits across his previous four contests and collecting two more earlier in the afternoon. Yet Williams managed to get him swinging on a full-count changeup for the first out—the turning point of the inning.
Alejandro Kirk followed with a groundout, and after Williams walked Ernie Clement, he escaped the jam by inducing Ty France to ground out to third. It was hardly smooth, but it was scoreless, and for a pitcher who has struggled to find his footing in pinstripes, it was a much-needed step forward.
A Glimpse of the Old Williams
Williams, who once dominated National League hitters with his patented changeup in Milwaukee, has not consistently looked like the same pitcher in New York. Command lapses and hard contact have undermined his reliability, and his implosion against the Astros last week raised alarms about whether Aaron Boone could trust him in tight games.
But Sunday offered a reminder of the talent still lurking in his arsenal. “That’s what I do,” Williams told reporters via the Post about throwing his changeup in any count. “I’m gonna throw it no matter what. I always have a lot of confidence in it.”
Boone backed his reliever, noting the magnitude of the assignment. “He had to go through the heart [of the order],” the manager said. “He has been unlucky. He’s had some tough games and moments, but can get excellent hitters out in big spots. Today was huge.”
Boone Still Playing With Fire
As encouraging as the outing was, it doesn’t erase the broader concerns. Williams’ numbers since joining the Yankees remain inconsistent, and every appearance feels like a tightrope act. Boone’s willingness to throw him into the most dangerous part of Toronto’s lineup showed faith, but it also carried unnecessary risk for a team fighting for its postseason positioning.
Other relievers—including Luke Weaver, Fernando Cruz, and David Bednar—have recently delivered cleaner innings. In fact, Bednar and Williams combined with the rest of the bullpen for two shutout frames behind Max Fried’s strong start in Sunday’s finale. The Yankees’ relief corps, much maligned for underperforming after offseason reinforcements, may finally be rounding into form.
Still, Williams is not yet a lockdown option. Surviving Guerrero and the Blue Jays’ middle order was an encouraging sign, but Boone can’t afford to gamble on repeat performances in October-like spots. The Yankees will take the zero and the win, even if the underlying questions remain.
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