NEW YORK — The boos cascaded from the Yankee Stadium stands before Devin Williams even threw his first pitch Friday night. By the time he walked off the mound three runs later, those jeers had transformed into the kind of visceral frustration that defines a season slipping away.
Williams surrendered three runs in the 10th inning as the Yankees fell to the Houston Astros 5-3, marking another devastating chapter in what has become an increasingly desperate fight for postseason survival.
The numbers tell a brutal story. Williams has allowed 28 earned runs this season, two more than he allowed in 2022-24 combined. His signature changeup, once baseball’s most devastating weapon, now serves up mistakes in the most crucial moments.
“I’m not making pitches,” Williams said after the loss. “It’s pretty simple. I stink right now.”
Boone’s Williams gamble backfires spectacularly
Manager Aaron Boone faced a familiar dilemma entering the 10th inning. Luke Weaver had thrown 19 pitches in the ninth while pitching on a fourth day out of seven, and Boone didn’t want to risk his valuable setup man for another frame. David Bednar had expended 42 pitches Wednesday, eliminating him from consideration.
The logical choices had been exhausted. What remained was Williams, a pitcher who had blown games Monday and Tuesday in Texas and carried a ballooning 5.73 ERA into the most important inning of the season.
“You gotta use your guys,” Boone said, though he admitted Williams is “struggling.”
The decision defied conventional wisdom but reflected Boone’s systematic approach to bullpen management. With Tim Hill eliminated due to matchup concerns against right-handed hitters and Mark Leiter Jr. recently activated from the injured list, Williams represented the least bad option in Boone’s calculation.
Immediate disaster in highest stakes
The inevitable unfolded with cruel efficiency. Williams entered the 10th inning to a chorus of boos from the home crowd and immediately threw his first pitch to the backstop, allowing automatic runner Jose Altuve to advance to third base. The miscue set the tone for what would become another disastrous outing for the embattled closer.
Four pitches later, Carlos Correa lined a changeup to center field for the go-ahead run, giving Houston a 3-2 advantage.
Williams managed two outs before delivering the crushing blow to his own team. Taylor Trammell drove an 0-1 changeup into the right-field seats for a two-run homer that effectively ended any hopes of a Yankees comeback.
The changeup to Trammell was “terrible,” Williams acknowledged. “It’s come down to essentially one mistake, and they’re making me pay for it.”
It was the fourth homer allowed by Williams in his past eight games, a stunning regression for a pitcher who once dominated with that same pitch.
The home run was particularly damaging given Williams’ recent struggles. He has allowed four homers in his last eight appearances and continues to hemorrhage runs at an alarming rate.
Statistical nightmare continues
The numbers paint a grim picture of Williams’ 2025 campaign. The closer has posted a 5.73 ERA in his first year with the Yankees, a stark contrast to his previous dominance. He has allowed 28 earned runs this season, two more than he surrendered in the combined 2022-24 seasons.
Williams has allowed nine runs, seven hits (including three homers) and four walks in 4⅔ innings in his last five games. The right-hander is 0-2 with two blown saves in that span and has given up at least one run in each outing.
“It’s tough,” Williams said. “It’s not something I’m used to. I really haven’t struggled like this since probably 2018, coming back from [Tommy John surgery]. All I did then was continue to work and just try to help the team in any way I can.”
Pattern of struggles threatens playoff hopes
Williams’ collapse extends a troubling pattern that has coincided with the Yankees’ precipitous slide. The Yankees have gone just 19-30 since June 13, transforming from division leaders to desperate wild card contenders.
The Yankees (61-55) now hold just a half-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians for the final wild card spot. Each loss carries exponential weight as the calendar turns toward September.
The struggles represent a stark departure from Williams’ established excellence. As arguably baseball’s best closer over the past three seasons with Milwaukee, Williams allowed just 26 earned runs total. His “Airbender” changeup became legendary for its movement and deception.
Critical juncture ahead
Saturday’s game against Houston carries enormous significance. A loss could drop the Yankees out of playoff position for the first time since May, while a victory would provide crucial momentum heading into the season’s final month.
Boone must navigate the psychological challenge of rebuilding Williams’ confidence while protecting the team’s postseason aspirations. The manager’s faith in struggling players has become both admirable and potentially destructive.
“I’m close,” Williams insisted. “You go back in all these games, it’s come down to essentially one mistake, and they’re making me pay for it.”
The margin for error has evaporated completely. With Cleveland surging and Texas gaining ground, every decision carries amplified consequences. Boone’s logical approach to bullpen management has collided with the harsh reality that logic doesn’t always produce results.
The Yankees’ season hangs in the balance, suspended between Williams’ potential redemption and the growing likelihood that faith alone cannot overcome fundamental struggles. Friday night provided another painful reminder that in baseball, as in life, being logical and being right are not always the same thing.
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