Can Embattled Yankees Closer Devin Williams Build on Successful Outing?

It has been an unimaginably brutal start to the season for New York Yankees reliever Devin Williams.

After spending the entirety of his career up until this year with the Milwaukee Brewers, clearly establishing himself as one of the best relievers in baseball from the time he made his debut in 2019.

The 2020 National League Rookie of the Year found himself as one of the big ticket acquisitions for the Yankees this offseason, and his arrival in the Bronx sparked immense excitement.

Williams was even instrumental in convincing the organization to loosen its longstanding policy against facial hair.

But instead of establishing himself as the next great Yankees closer, Williams floundered. He currently owns a 9.24 ERA, and he was recently demoted after a series of high-profile blowup outings.

Did Devin Williams Save His Season Against the San Diego Padres?

But on Wednesday night in the team's dramatic extra-innings victory over the San Diego Padres, Williams looked a lot more like the dominant force that fans have grown accustomed to seeing.

A great duel between Padres ace Dylan Cease and Yankees star Max Fried gave way to the bullpens as both starters allowed a singular run.

After Ian Hamilton and Luke Adam each gave up a pair of runs, the game went to extra innings tied at three apiece.

With new closer Luke Weaver already burned for five outs in the eighth and ninth, manager Aaron Boone had no choice but to call Williams' number.

It looked like Williams was set up for another failure in a big moment, but instead he delivered.

The righty got Fernando Tatis Jr. to swing and miss at his changeup for the first out, but a stolen base by Brandon Lockridge moved him from second to third as Luis Arraez drew a walk to put runners at first and third with just one out.

Williams then got Machado to tip a two-strike changeup into the glove for the second out, but he then hit Jackson Merrill to load the bases.

Xander Boegarts worked a 3-2 count, where one ball would bring in the go-ahead run for San Diego, but Williams induced a third swinging strike three on a perfectly placed changeup.

The Yankee bats brought the winning run home, giving Williams a win in what was his first three-strikeout outing of the campaign.

Last year with the Brewers, he had five such outings where he struck out the side, and the fact that he finally did so for the Yankees could be taken as a sign he's regaining his form at the right time.