Former Teammate Sees Devin Williams' Struggles 'Snowballing'

But he is also giving up more line drives, struggling to induce ground balls, and being hit harder by hitters (average exit velocity is higher).

So, his BABIP is partly bad luck and partly bad locations.

Bad luck and execution led to an ugly start for the Yankees' would-be closer.

Williams has seen his ERA balloon past 10.00, lost his closer job, and faced audible frustration from the Bronx crowd. Ottavino, who endured his own up-and-down moments in pinstripes, understands the emotional side of all this better than most.

“There’s a mental component to this right now,” he said. “Clearly, the vibes aren’t where they need to be in the stadium when he’s coming into the game. The snowball’s kind of rolling the wrong direction.”

Still, Ottavino was quick to defend the big picture. He called Williams’ résumé “insanely elite,” and said he has “no doubt” the right-hander will bounce back.

The key, he added, will be how Yankees manager Aaron Boone handles Williams.

“I think Boone did a good job getting him out of the closer role,” Ottavino said. “But we’re going to need to get him in an extended period of success, to get him feeling himself a little bit before we see the real Devin Williams.”

The Yankees dealt Nestor Cortes and prospect Corbin Durbin to the Milwaukee Brewers for Williams with the expectation that he would lock down the ninth inning for them. So far, he’s been a major disappointment, which the Bronx crowd lets him know every time he makes a mistake now.