Devin Williams found himself in a problematic situation with the New York Yankees once again. Just when his team needed him to secure a crucial victory, he was unable to stop the power of Rangers’ slugger Joc Pederson, leading to the game being tied. The Yankees ultimately lost, 8-5 in the 10th inning.
Following the game, criticism of Williams was expected. While Aaron Boone came out with a strong statement to defend the Yankees, the Bombers’ closer was more concise and subdued about the team’s struggles.
“Things haven’t gone been going well for awhile now,” Williams said. When asked about facing Pederson in the bottom of the ninth, he simply commented that the Rangers player “obviously, he did what he did,” referring to his inability to handle the situation from the mound.
Williams Acknowledges Teammates’ Awareness
In addition to admitting the Yankees‘ situation is not good, Williams clarified that his teammates are also aware of the struggles. “I think everyone is well aware of that,” he said. He also confessed he is putting in the effort, adding, “I will say that I tried my best. Sometimes that leads to the opposite outcome.”
Williams affirmed that he feels fine physically, noting that the at-bat against Pederson was the true turning point for him during the game against the Rangers. For him, the Yankees need to start playing better to get out of their current slump. “Playing clean baseball, playing smart baseball,” Williams told YES Network.
Not the First Time for Williams
This isn’t the first time Williams has been criticized for blowing important leads. Recently against the Tampa Bay Rays, the team was winning 2-1, but things went downhill after he took the mound. In a similar situation in April, also against Tampa, the Yankees were leading 8-4 before he lost control of the game.