Yankees Admit Boos Helped Prompt Devin Williams' Demotion

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kristie Ackert | Last updated Apr 28, 2025 9:23 PM ET

The New York Yankees didn’t just look at Devin Williams' struggles when they made the decision to demote him.

They listened too.

The Yankees listened to the boos and the chants at Yankee Stadium last weekend and decided that was enough. According to a report in The Athletic, Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake admitted that the crowd’s frustration — including chants of “We Want Weaver” — played a part in the decision to pull Williams out of the closer role.

It was about cutting off a downward spiral before it got worse.

“It definitely doesn’t help,” Blake said about the fans backlash. “I think we’ve seen that over the years, whether it’s Clay (Holmes), (Aroldis Chapman), or whoever. Those things don’t help the situation get better. That’s the unfortunate part of how excited our fan base is when we’re winning, but the other side is it can be very polarizing."

The Yankees have been through this before. Holmes. Chapman. Once the Stadium turns on a player, it’s hard for him to find steady ground again. Williams looked shaky already.

This time, Blake said the coaching staff and manager Aaron Boone agreed: don’t put Devin Williams through it if they didn’t have to.

“They voice their opinion when things aren’t going well,” Blake said. “I think guys just have to learn how to navigate that. We’ve been hit or miss with that over the years. I think the earlier we can nip that in the bud and get him into a spot where we can stabilize — I felt like, Boonie, us, we all talked about it. Like, let’s not continue to push this if we don’t have to.”

It’s a rare acknowledgment of how much fan sentiment can shape real decisions in the Bronx.

Williams, who was a key move in the Yankees’ pivot after losing Juan Soto to free agency, hasn’t been himself. His trademark changeup has flattened, his command has wavered, and his outings were tension-filled tightrope walks.

When the boos rained down and chants for Luke Weaver filled Yankee Stadium last weekend, it was impossible to ignore. Williams admitted he heard them after blowing a save Friday night.

The Yankees decided to get him out of the pressure-filled ninth to try and rebuild him and his confidence. Weaver will get the bulk of the ninth-inning assignments while giving Williams a chance to work through his issues away from the spotlight.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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