Devin Williams caused a bit of anxiety among New York Yankees fans on Thursday, failing to leave a strong impression during his Bronx debut. The right-handed reliever was handed the ball in the ninth inning with the Yankees up 4-1 against his former team, the Milwaukee Brewers, on Opening Day.
Williams quickly surrendered a single, a double, and a walk, loading the bases without recording an out. This prompted Yankees fans to express their displeasure with boos, as reported by Newsday’s Laura Albanese on social media.
Williams soon regained his composure, though he did concede a run on a sacrifice fly. He then struck out the next two batters consecutively, escaping the inning and securing the save, along with the victory. The Yankees had acquired Williams in December, trading starting pitcher Nestor Cortés, infield prospect Caleb Durbin, and cash considerations.
Williams had just completed eight stellar seasons in the Brewers’ bullpen, amassing a 27-10 record, a 1.83 ERA, a 1.023 WHIP, an impressive strikeout rate of 14.3 per nine innings, 68 saves, an 8.9 WAR, and earning two All-Star nods.
To win over New York fans, Williams might need to replicate his successful Milwaukee form, even if the Yankees continue to lead the AL East. The season-opening series between the Yankees and Brewers will resume at 1:05 p.m. ET on Saturday.