Devin Williams turns the tables on Pete Alonso, providing the Yankees’ critical turning point.
Redemption stories rarely align so perfectly with the baseball gods’ sense of drama. Yet Devin Williams found exactly that Friday night under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium in a moment that vindicated the Yankees’ offseason investment.
Confronting Pete Alonso for the first time since last October’s playoff heartbreak, Williams delivered a statement eighth inning in the Yankees’ 6-2 triumph over the Mets. The relief ace struck out the side, including Alonso, in what became his most impressive performance since donning pinstripes.
Williams’ revenge on Alonso, with precision
Last October’s wounds remained fresh. Williams, then closing for Milwaukee, watched helplessly as Alonso launched a go-ahead homer in Game 3 of the NL wild-card series—a crushing blow that simultaneously elevated Mets folklore while carving a painful memory for Williams.
Friday night offered a different script.
With Alonso at the plate and the count 0-2, Williams painted the outside corner with a 94-mph fastball that left the slugger frozen—strike three called. The veteran reliever proceeded to dismantle Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo in succession, completing a perfect inning that required just 13 pitches and showcased the elite arsenal that once made him Milwaukee’s premier bullpen weapon.
“He was great,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone remarked afterward. “His fastball was good, and there were a couple of changeups that just disappeared. In our dugout, the depth on those pitches was really good. That’s who he is right there, and we’re seeing it more and more.”
Rising after early struggles
Williams’ Bronx journey began with considerable expectations following the notable trade that sent Nestor Cortes and prospect Caleb Durbin to Milwaukee. The 2020 NL Reliever of the Year was projected to fortify the Yankees’ late-inning formula, but adaptation proved challenging.
His first 10 appearances yielded disappointing results and eventually cost him the closer role, which Luke Weaver claimed after previously replacing Clay Holmes late last season.
Recent weeks, however, have revealed Williams’ resilience. Setting aside a difficult May 5 outing against San Diego, he’s delivered scoreless appearances in seven of his last eight games. His command has sharpened considerably, while his signature “Airbender” changeup—the pitch that established his reputation—has regained its devastating movement.
Friday marked Williams’ first three-strikeout inning as a Yankee, suggesting the two-time All-Star might be reclaiming his elite status at precisely the right moment.
High leverage, low drama
Though protected by a five-run advantage, the context elevated the eighth inning’s significance. Subway Series matchups carry inherent intensity, and Williams’ history with Alonso transformed a routine relief appearance into personal vindication.
For a bullpen still defining roles beyond Weaver’s ninth-inning stability, Williams’ emergence provides crucial depth. The Yankees, currently 26-18 and leading the AL East, recognize that postseason success depends on multiple high-leverage relievers performing consistently.
While Weaver’s closer role remains secure given his effectiveness, Williams’s resurgence gives Boone additional tactical flexibility for critical late-game situations. Most encouraging has been his’ renewed command—attacking both sides of the plate confidently while deploying his changeup as the devastating put-away weapon that once terrorized National League hitters.
Bronx belief building
The stadium crowd recognized the significance. As Williams completed his perfect inning, appreciative applause acknowledged both immediate contribution and future potential. A bullpen that appeared vulnerable early now features a key acquisition trending upward at an opportune time.
Yankees teammates noticed, too.
“This version of Devin—that’s the guy we traded for,” one clubhouse source noted. “That’s a weapon late in games.”
If Williams maintains this trajectory, he represents more than depth—he becomes a potential postseason difference-maker.
The crosstown rivals continue their Subway Series Saturday, with both clubs atop their respective divisions. Meanwhile, Devin Williams can savor a personal milestone—redemption against the hitter who once defined his most painful professional moment.
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