Yankees' Devin Williams says applause `a lot better than what I’ve heard for much of the year'

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NEW YORK (AP) — Devin Williams started hearing boos just 18 pitches into his New York Yankees' career, making the Division Series cheers especially satisfying.

“It’s nice to feel appreciated sometimes. Yeah, it was definitely a lot better than what I’ve heard for much of the year," he said.

Williams had his first multi-inning appearance in more than two years, part of 6 2/3 scoreless innings by Yankees relievers as New York rallied for a 9-6 win Tuesday night that forced the AL Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays to a Game 4.

A two-time All-Star acquired from Milwaukee in December, Williams had a career-worst 4.79 ERA and 18 saves in 22 chances. He's pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings over three postseason games.

“Proud of him for going through certainly some, I'm sure, very tough moments professionally this year,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “That’s part of being a pro, though. That’s part of being great at this is handling those things and he’s done that."

A 31-year-old right-hander eligible for free agency after the World Series, Williams throws a fastball averaging 94 mph and a changeup known as an “Airbender.” Control issues hurt him this year, when batters had a .391 average in at-bats after he fell behind 2-0 in the count and .455 after he went to 3-1.

For much of the season, Boone kept pointing out advanced analytics showed Williams was pitching better than his statistics indicated. Williams' opponents' expected batting average of .198 ranked 17th among pitchers facing at least 100 hitters.

“That’s baseball sometimes," Williams said. "You hope that the math starts math-ing and stuff starts to go your way on balls that are typically outs, instead of finding holes they’re finding gloves."

His 2024 season ended in the Wild Card Series finale when he allowed a go-ahead, three-run homer to the Mets' Pete Alonso, and Williams struggled from the outset in pinstripes. He loaded the bases with no outs against his former team on opening day, allowed a sacrifice fly and then struck out Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich to preserve a 4-2 win over the Brewers.

Demanding fans were livid.

Williams lost the closer's job by late April, after allowing a go-ahead, two-run double to the Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk in a 4-2 loss that left him 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA. Luke Weaver, who replaced Clay Holmes as closer in September 2024, regained the job until straining a hamstring on May 31.

Williams was thrust back into the finishing job and had converted 13 straight save chances before giving up a go-ahead, two-run homer to Tampa Bay's Josh Lowe on July 30 in a game New York rebounded to win in 11 innings. Five days later, Williams allowed Joc Pederson’s tying homer in the ninth at Texas in a game the Yankees lost in 10 innings.

New York acquired David Bednar from Pittsburgh at the July 31 trade deadline and he took over as closer.

Williams had just one more save over the final two months of the season and suffered his fourth blown save on Aug. 30 when Chase Meidroth had a tying RBI single in the seventh before the Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox in 11 innings.

“My mindset’s never changed throughout this whole year,” Williams said. “I just kept showing up and now I’m getting the results I want right now.”

New York's bullpen had a 4.37 ERA during the regular season, 23rd among the 30 teams, but came through with three-hit relief in Game 3 as Fernando Cruz, Tim Hill and Williams each got four outs, Camilo Doval three and Bednar five. Williams hadn't pitched multiple innings since Sept. 1, 2023.

Back when Williams was struggling, Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton urged him to “keep pushing.”

“It’s cool to see him get some appreciation for how hard he’s worked all year,” Stanton said.

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