Ex-Brewers Struggling All-Star 'Back To Dominating' For Yankees

A former Milwaukee Brewers two-time All-Star suffered a terrible start to the 2025 season with his new team, but is the tide turning?

New York Yankees right-hander Devin Williams was awful over his initial outings in pinstripes this year, a stark contrast to his stellar resumé as a two-time National League Reliever of the Year. 

Acquired from the Brewers on December 13, 2024, in a blockbuster trade for left-hander Nestor Cortes, infield prospect Caleb Durbin, and cash considerations, Williams was expected to solidify the Yankees’ bullpen as their closer. 

However, Williams’s 10.03 ERA over his first 11 2/3 innings, surrendering 13 earned runs and walking 10 batters, gave Yankees skipper Aaron Boone little choice but to demote Williams from the closer role on April 27, with Luke Weaver stepping in after Williams blew a save against the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Yankees fans, accustomed to Williams’s 1.83 career ERA with Milwaukee, were left questioning the trade.

Recently, however, Williams has shown signs of rediscovering his dominant form, offering hope for a Yankees bullpen aiming to support a deep postseason run. 

On Thursday, Williams delivered a clean eighth inning in New York’s 1-0 home victory over the Texas Rangers, helping the Yankees improve to 30-19. 

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale shouted out Williams on X, posting: “Yankees reliever Devin Williams, after early struggles, back dominating on the mound with another 1-2-3 inning. Williams has permitted no more than 1 hit in 11 consecutive games since April 28, with 10 of them scoreless. He's yielding a .097 batting average in this stretch.”

Williams’s improved command and revitalized changeup have been key, with his strike-throwing becoming more consistent.

While Weaver remains the closer, Williams’s recent outings suggest he could reclaim high-leverage situations soon. His ability to miss bats again is a great sign for the Yankees.