ARLINGTON, Texas — Devin Williams was at the center of another ninth-inning collapse Tuesday night. But despite the mounting failures and growing fan frustration, the New York Yankees reliever had one message after the game.
“Aaron Boone won today,” Williams said, almost wistfully.
That quote, delivered after the Yankees dropped their fifth straight game in a 2-0 loss to the Texas Rangers, encapsulated a night of disappointment and deflection. Devin Williams blew another high-leverage opportunity, but credited his manager for standing by him — even as the team’s playoff hopes teetered on collapse.
Boone trusts Williams again, result stays the same
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The Yankees entered Tuesday’s contest desperate for a bounce-back. Will Warren had delivered five shutout innings. Camilo Doval and Luke Weaver held the line through seven. But when Boone turned to Williams in the eighth, déjà vu struck.
Just one night removed from giving up a game-tying homer to Joc Pederson, Williams was called upon again to keep the game scoreless. The gamble didn’t pay off.
Williams issued back-to-back walks to Pederson and Wyatt Langford after nearly escaping with a deep fly ball by Adolis García that fell in for a double when left fielder Jasson Domínguez couldn’t complete the catch near the wall. Two batters later, Rowdy Tellez drove in both runners with a two-run single. The Yankees never recovered.
The ball goes off the top of Dominguez's glove and the Rangers have a runner in scoring position pic.twitter.com/qtQ8M8IDmS
“He was falling off everything,” Williams said afterward, referring to Boone’s show of confidence. “You know, he won today. You know, I’ll try and get him the next time.”
Could Domínguez have saved the inning?
The turning point came when García lifted a fly ball toward left-center field. Domínguez ranged back and got his glove on it near the wall but failed to secure it. The ball popped out and rolled to the base of the fence, allowing García to reach second and shifting the inning’s momentum.
When asked if Domínguez should have caught García’s deep drive, Williams was candid but measured.
“I mean, it’s hard to expect him to catch that ball,” he said. “But, you know, he got a glove on it, so he came close. But you can’t expect that to be caught.”
That misplay opened the door. But it was Williams’ own struggles that let the Rangers kick it down.
“I was trying to stay with my heater to Joc,” Williams said, explaining his sequence. “I wasn’t really mad about that one — you know, set up the double play. But what really hurt me was the walk to Langford.”
The outing pushed Williams’ season ERA to 5.10, with a staggering 9.39 ERA over his last eight appearances. He’s allowed runs in six of his past eight games — a stretch that’s turned high expectations into a bullpen liability.
Boone still backing him — but shift may be coming
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Boone, now facing daily scrutiny for his bullpen management, once again defended Williams. Despite having David Bednar and Mark Leiter Jr. warming, he stuck with Williams even after two walks. That loyalty drew sharp criticism across social media and postgame analysis.
“I was going to maybe go with Bednar in a four-out situation,” the manager conceded. “Just shorten the game a little bit. Not a lot left down there. Leiter being in a situation where he hasn’t pitched in a while. If I could get it to a four-out scenario, I was going to do it. Felt Devin could get some swing-and-miss there, but obviously didn’t.”
Boone didn’t shy away from the optics but hinted that changes could be coming. He told reporters the closer role would now be handled on a “night-by-night” basis, opening the door to a possible committee approach in late innings.
“Not sure [why Williams has struggled this year]. Obviously, in the middle here, he’s been really good,” Boone added. “Lately, he’s had some struggles. We got to hopefully help him turn the corner and get part of a group that can still be very good down there.
“I don’t know stuff-wise is off. A little bit command, walks have hurt him here and there. Times when he gets behind in the count have hurt him a little bit. We have to get him turned around. It’s about finding the best matchups. We trust Devin, but we’ll evaluate situations as they come.”
Yankees unraveling again, postseason in doubt
With the loss, New York fell to 60–54. They’re barely holding onto the American League’s third wild-card spot, now just a half-game ahead of the surging Rangers. Boone’s squad has gone from division leader to playoff bubble team in under six weeks — a pattern all too familiar in the Bronx.
The Yankees have now lost five in a row and seven of their last ten. During that stretch, they’ve been shut out three times, scored two runs or fewer in six games, and committed multiple defensive miscues.
Tuesday night was another chapter in the same story. Solid starting pitching, early opportunities missed, and a late-game collapse that left fans exasperated.
Accountability talk intensifies
Boone addressed the team postgame, urging players to rise above the moment.
“We’ve got to get over ourselves,” he reportedly told them — a clear message about staying focused and accountable even as pressure mounts.
But outside the clubhouse, calls for change are getting louder. Boone’s decision to stick with Williams — again — drew sharp reactions across Yankees media and fan circles.
Some pointed to Boone’s past trust in struggling relievers, including Aroldis Chapman and Clay Holmes, as examples of misplaced loyalty. Others argued that the Yankees are in a must-win stretch and can’t afford sentimental calls.
Williams wears the loss but praises Boone
Still, in the eye of the storm, Williams showed respect for his manager.
“He believed in me,” he said. “It didn’t work out. But he won today.”
It was a curious comment on a night when Boone’s decision ultimately cost the Yankees another crucial game.
Whether Boone continues to win the support of his players — or the patience of the front office — remains uncertain. The Yankees are running out of time, and every ninth inning now feels like a test not just of arms, but of leadership.
