Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

‘Absolute Loser’: Devin Williams Nearly Costs Yankees the Game, Fans Go Off

Devin Williams almost ruined Max Fried's spectacular outing!

Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

In theory, the Yankees upgraded their bullpen this winter by signing two-time All-Star Devin Williams to lock down the ninth. In practice, it’s been four appearances of chaos, and the Bronx is already boiling over.

On a bitterly cold Wednesday in Detroit, New York managed to avoid a sweep with a 4-3 win over the Tigers, but it came with unnecessary drama in the ninth. Starter Max Fried was dominant, striking out 11 over seven shutout innings, while Ben Rice smashed a two-run blast to give the Yankees a lead. The Yankees built a 4-0 lead heading into the final frame. And then came Williams.

Make that double digits for Fried pic.twitter.com/WTexpimGxd
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) April 9, 2025

Instead of calmly closing things out, the new closer nearly unraveled. Williams allowed two hits, two walks, and three runs, forcing manager Aaron Boone to call on Mark Leiter Jr. for the final out, with the tying run standing on second. A game that should’ve ended quietly turned into yet another white-knuckle ride courtesy of a closer who, so far, hasn’t delivered.

This wasn’t an isolated stumble either. Williams has yet to complete a clean inning in a Yankees uniform. His debut saw him nearly blow the opener, allowing the tying run to reach third. Sunday, he surrendered a walk-off single to the Pirates in extras. And now, after coughing up three more runs in Detroit, he’s sporting a 12.00 ERA, with five runs (four earned), five hits, and four walks allowed across just three innings.

Devin Williams said, "I haven't felt like 100% myself up to this point," but he said he's fine physically.

Attributed struggles to needing game reps & lack of execution. He added he's struggled in the early parts of the season before.

The #Yankees' closer entered the day with a…
— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) April 9, 2025

“I’m still figuring stuff out. I haven’t felt like 100 percent myself up to this point, but I would say I’m getting closer, for sure.” Boone echoed that optimism: “I’m confident this is going to be a distant memory as we continue to move forward, because he’s not that far off.”

But try telling that to Yankees fans.

ALSO READ: Could Trent Grisham Be the Yankees’ Wild Card This Season?

In a market where patience is a foreign concept, Williams is already facing a storm of criticism online. The reactions were swift, brutal, and typical of the Bronx faithful. Comparisons to Clay Holmes’ meltdown-heavy 2024 season surfaced quickly, along with the usual dose of sarcastic fatalism.

“He puts on the pinstripes and becomes a vegetable,” said one fan posted, summing up the mood in fewer than 10 words. Others have gone as far as labeling the signing a bust, four games into the season.

Just hilarious that Devin Williams was a consensus top 5 closer in the league when we traded for him and the second he puts on the pinstripes he becomes a vegetable
— Dom (@BronxBmbrz) April 9, 2025

Devin Williams has been an absolute loser as a Yankee. pic.twitter.com/xW6jKVEtbf
— Chris (@Chris_NYY28) April 9, 2025

Devin Williams showed up to New York, made the franchise change a 50 year old policy, and absolutely stinks.

Cant make this up.
— Chris (@Chris_NYY28) April 9, 2025

Lmfao send Devin Williams to Guantanamo Bay I’ve seen enough
— JL (@JLas43_) April 9, 2025

Yankees going from Clay Holmes to Devin Williams to close games pic.twitter.com/l0jNKYqSId
— Jake (@JakeRepNY) April 9, 2025

Devin Williams is not my closer. Luke Weaver is my closer. I said what I said.
— Charlotte (@yankeeschar) April 9, 2025

Devin “Clay Holmes” Williams as of April 9th
— JL (@JLas43_) April 9, 2025

Devin Williams has been infuriating to watch as a Yankee thus far. It’s early, he’s got a very solid track record, but this is brutal right now
— Stanzo (@ncostanzo24) April 9, 2025

For now, the Yankees can breathe a sigh of relief thanks to Fried’s brilliance and Leiter Jr.’s timely rescue. But if Williams doesn’t find his footing soon, the “closer controversy” narrative will only get louder in a city that rarely forgives or forgets easily, especially in the ninth inning.

The pinstripes come with pressure. Devin Williams is feeling all of it.

Devin Williams

Yankees

Mohsin Baldiwala

mlb

Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.