New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is staying positive, amidst the struggles of his reliever Devin Williams. Williams officially allowed three earned runs in less than one inning of work Monday, imploding as the Yankees lost to San Diego. The Padres defeated New York, 4-3.
Williams walked two batters in the game, and left the mound with the bases loaded.
“The biggest thing, again, is just command and being ahead and not putting guys on,” Boone said about Williams afterward, per ESPN. “Stuff’s there. Stuff’s fine and I do believe he’ll get on a roll and be lights out and dominant. But the command part of it, where the walks or getting behind in certain situations, have hurt him a little bit.”
Williams was traded to the Yankees this past offseason, from the Milwaukee Brewers. The new Yankees reliever has struggled, and was demoted from his job as closer earlier this year.
The Yankees need Devin Williams to start pitching better
Williams now has a 10.03 ERA, after his disastrous outing on Monday. He has appeared in 14 games for the Yankees, and imploded multiple times while trying to close games.
New York needs the reliever to throw much better. While Williams had been pitching better since his demotion, Monday’s performance showed he is still struggling with his control.
The reliever’s official stats against the Padres on Monday include allowing three earned runs, in just two-thirds of an inning. San Diego scored four runs in the eighth to take over the game.
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Williams was throwing Monday in some sloppy conditions, due to rain. He says that affected his performance.
“Both walks were obviously not what you’re trying to do, but I was kind of battling myself there with the landing spot,” Williams said. “Tough to control the fastball today.”
Yankees fans booed as Williams left Monday’s game. The performance broke a solid streak Williams was going through. He had pitched in three consecutive appearances without allowing a hit or a run, before Monday.
“I feel good, I feel confident on the mound,” Williams added. “I felt like I was in a good spot. It’s one of those nights where you’re not only battling the hitter, I was battling the mound. But we’re all given the same set of circumstances and I couldn’t pull through tonight.”
The Yankees are 19-16 on the season following Monday’s loss. While the team still sits in first in the American League East, they are reeling. The Bronx Bombers are just 4-6 in their last 10 games.
New York plays San Diego again on Tuesday.
