Yankees’ Devin Williams ‘still figuring stuff out’ as early season struggles continue

The Yankees went into the ninth inning of Wednesday’s game against the Tigers feeling pretty good about themselves.

After the offense was held in check for most of the last three days, the Yankees were three outs away from salvaging the final game of the series after scoring four late runs. Manager Aaron Boone tasked closer Devin Williams with sealing the win, but it didn’t go as planned.

After getting two of the first three batters Williams faced out, the Tigers loaded the bases. A wild pitch and a two-run single later, and the Yankees’ four-run lead was cut to one.

The Yankees skipper, not wanting to risk the win, pulled his closer for Mark Leiter Jr., who got the final out in the 4-3 win, ending New York’s three-game losing streak.

It’s alarming to see Williams, who was dominant last season pitching to a 1.25 ERA in 22 appearances with the Brewers after returning from injury, struggle so mightily.

But the Yankees skipper isn’t concerned with his closer’s performance so far this season.

“I don’t think it’s far off,” Boone said of Williams’ pitches after the game. “I thought we saw more velocity in there when he needed it. It’s just that next level of execution. He’ll get there. Credit to [the Tigers] too for laying off a lot of tough pitches but just being more in the zone.”

In four appearances this season, Williams has allowed four earned runs in just 3.0 innings pitched. We had the nail-biter on Opening Day when he allowed one run on two hits and a walk before ultimately completing the save.

And then we had the series finale in Pittsburgh this past Sunday when he allowed the ghost runner to score the winning run in the 11th, before nearly blowing the save on Wednesday.

Williams admitted he is still figuring things out this season and there’s nothing physically wrong with him, but he's still "figuring stuff out," and just needs more game reps and to better execute his pitches.

"I haven't felt like 100 percent myself up to this point, but I would say I'm getting closer," Williams told the media including the NY Post’s Greg Joyce after the game.

Entering Wednesday, Williams has a career 3.03 ERA in the months of March and April, by far the highest for any month in his career.

Boone pointed to Williams’ recent absence when he went on the paternity list as a part of his closer’s early-season struggles and once the team gets into a “flow” the Williams of old will emerge.

“I’m confident this is going to be a distant memory as we continue to move forward,” Boone said. “He’s not far off. Just a little better strike-throwing. Once he starts doing that and dictating counts, then you’re going to see it because his stuff is not far off. This is his fourth outing. He’ll be fine, he’ll get through this. Just early part of the season

The Yankees return home after a 3-3 road trip and will host the San Francisco Giants in the Bronx this weekend starting Friday.

Perhaps returning home, in warmer weather than Detroit, will help Williams come out of hibernation.