Devin Williams accomplished a personal milestone on Thursday afternoon, striking out the side in the ninth inning for the first time since joining the New York Yankees. The closer mowed down Travis d’Arnaud, Jo Adell, and Luis Rengifo to lock in a 7–3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels and help the Yankees snap a six-game losing streak.
With Luke Weaver sidelined due to a hamstring injury, Williams has stepped into the closer role — and he’s made the most of it. Over his last 16 appearances, the right-hander has posted a 1.84 ERA with 20 strikeouts across 14.2 innings, tallying five saves during that stretch.
Yankees fans, who had grown used to late-game anxiety over the past week, could finally exhale. Williams has brought much-needed stability to the back end of the bullpen, living up to the expectations that followed his arrival in the Bronx. In seven June outings, he’s recorded a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings, notching four saves and one hold.
Devin Williams is showing the Yankees they might be able to count on him
Williams’ dominance on Thursday capped a solid afternoon from the Yankees' pitching staff. Carlos Rodón tossed six innings, allowing three runs while striking out seven. The bullpen handled the final three innings, and Williams was the only reliever to record a strikeout — he had three.
The win provided a sigh of relief for Yankees fans after a rough stretch that included losses to both the Red Sox and Angels, marked by weak offense and sloppy defense. Williams had made just one appearance during that six-game skid — a quiet ninth-inning outing where he held the line, but didn’t have a chance to lock down a win.
Early concerns over whether Williams could handle the pressure of the closer role have quickly faded. Initially, Aaron Boone contemplated keeping Williams in setup duty, with Weaver closing games. Instead, Williams has embraced the spotlight, cutting his ERA from 9.00 to 5.27 over the last few weeks. It’s not perfect yet, but it’s trending in the right direction.
Still, the return of Luke Weaver looms large. Boone noted that Weaver could return from the injured list as soon as next Friday against the Baltimore Orioles. Before the injury, Weaver was putting together an All-Star-caliber season, boasting a 1.05 ERA over 25.2 innings.
Whether it’s Weaver or Williams getting the ball in the ninth, the Yankees now have two strong options — a luxury few teams in the league can claim. But for New York to truly capitalize, the offense needs to match the momentum the bullpen has started to build.
Thursday’s win was a step in the right direction. Now, the Yankees need their bats to stay awake.