Devin Williams and a large section of Yankees fans might be wondering what went wrong. Having arrived from the Milwaukee Brewers in December, Williams came with a reputation of being one of the league’s premier relief pitchers. Nicknamed the “Airbender,” Williams posted a stellar 1.25 ERA with 14 saves over just 22 appearances last season, despite missing time due to injury. So, acquiring one of the most coveted arms on the trade market genuinely was a big statement, but just a few weeks into his Bronx tenure, both Williams and the team are trying to make sense of his rocky start in pinstripes.

Williams arrived in New York to replace veteran closer Clay Holmes, who left for the Mets. But he looked shaky against the Brewers in the opening game with a below-par velocity and has looked far from his devastating best. However, the outing against the Rays on Saturday would have frustrated him and his team.

He came in with a comfy 8-4 lead in the ninth inning and then imploded and gave up 4 runs. He faced seven batters, giving up four hits and a walk, unraveling a four-run lead and allowing the game to slip into a tie. Jonathan Aranda then hit a two-run homer in the 10th to win the game 10-8 for the Rays and end the Yankees’ five-game winning run. As for Williams, he has a 9.00 ERA for his new team and has allowed runs in four of nine appearances. Despite his struggles, the Yankees’ captain, Aaron Judge, is still confident in their new closer.

But the talking point remains Williams’ uncharacteristic stint for the team. However, he found some support in Aaron Judge.

Speaking after the game, Judge said, “We went out and got him for a reason. He’s the best closer in the game. We’ve got a long season. This guy’s gonna save a lot of ballgames for us and help us out. I’m not worried at all. He knows what he needs to do. He’ll go out there. He’ll figure it out. Everybody in this room wants him coming out of the bullpen, especially in a tight game.”

Well, Williams is still one of the most unhittable pitchers in baseball, with a whiff rate over 50%. His late movement made it deadly, especially to left-handed hitters! Last year, he was in full flow, striking out 32 batters over 21.2 innings while holding opponents to a .151 average. With that resume, it made total sense why Judge was rallying behind Williams even after a rough start. But the adjustment to the Yankees and AL lineups hasn’t been smooth till now.

So far this season, he has played just 9 games for the Yankees, which makes for quite a small sample to determine his utility. Still, he’s converted all four of his save opportunities, but he has allowed seven walks over eight innings and allowed opponents to hit .333 against him.

The outcome against the Rays would have disappointed Williams. He got into trouble after allowing a one-out infield single to José Caballero, whose chopper forced a high throw from third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera. He then issued a walk to the No. 9 hitter, Ben Rortvedt, setting the stage for the Rays’ rally.

Chandler Simpson followed with an RBI double to left. Yandy Díaz added a run-scoring infield single, and Brandon Lowe capped the surge with a base hit to left. This allowed the Rays to tie the game before the Rays won in the 10th, and Williams made his feelings clear after the game.

“Yeah, four-run lead, you’d like to get in and get out. Made some good pitches; made some bad ones. Not enough good ones today,” Williams said.

There have been struggles in other games as well. Against the Pirates on April 6, he allowed a walk-off hit in extra innings as the Yankees lost 5-4. Then on April 9, facing the Tigers, he gave up three runs on two hits and two walks, though they managed to win out 4-3. But there was no saving after his collapse against the Rays, and the pressure will only increase.

Honestly, New York is no joke when it comes to scrutiny, and replacing a closer legend like Holmes isn’t easy. He has struggled to get going. So the question is will the Yankees opt for a replacement then? If yes, then who?

The Yankees’ limited bullpen choices

“We’ve got a long way to go,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s a little bump here early, and he’s got all the equipment to get through it.” While the captain and manager are confident in Williams, the Yankees would surely love to find support behind him, albeit with a limited choice. Luke Weaver is the frontrunner! He is quietly making a very strong case to take over as the Yankees’ closer if Devin Williams’ struggles continue.

Weaver in 2025 pitched in 11 innings, with only 2 hits allowed and 13 strikeouts, commanding both his fastball and secondary pitches with confidence, and showing real poise in late-inning spots. He was the first guy who took over for Holmes down the stretch in 2024 and excelled in the Yankees. So, if Weaver keeps up this level, it’s not a matter of if he gets the job — it’s when.

Ian Hamilton can be the next big thing in the bullpen for the Yankees. For starters, in the last two years, Hamilton was one of the Yankees’ most trusted bullpen arms, especially in tight, late-inning spots. He’s used to inheriting runners and getting clutch outs — the type of pressure moments that mimic a closer’s role. While not as flashy as Luke Weaver’s numbers, he has had a quietly solid season so far with a low ERA, good strikeout-to-walk numbers, and no blown leads.

So, it’s up to the fans to test their patience in checking about how the team is thinking with their bullpen. Would they continue with Williams, or is a new face coming soon?