The New York Yankees earned a much-needed win against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday to protect their slim lead in the American League East division.
As the team looks to hold onto this lead and spark a deep playoff run, they’ll need all they can get from their bullpen. But apparently that won’t include any two-inning outings for two-time National League Reliever of the Year Devin Williams.
“The Yankees sure are catering to the star reliever that they traded for last winter,” Randy Miller wrote for NJ.com. “Now we know Williams indefinitely wants to continue his two-season streak of not pitching more than one inning in a game, too.”
Williams hasn’t pitched more than one inning in a game since 2023, but it seemed the Yankees might have asked him to take on more of a workload as their list of available arms shrinks following an illness for Jonathan Loaisiga. Notably, manager Aaron Boone called in Mark Leiter Jr. to pitch the final two innings against the Cincinnati Reds in an extra-innings loss on Tuesday.
After that decision, Williams explained that he hasn’t demanded a limited role, but that he feels pitching in just one inning per game helps to keep him healthy. And Boone announced that he’d be limited to that role for the foreseeable future.
“He’s here as kind of a one-inning guy, and that’s what he’s done the last couple of years,” Boone said, per Miller. “Look, I think there’s going to be a time when there’s a four-out scenario, but I’m not prepared right now to send him out there for a two-inning outing.”
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Williams was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers this winter with the expectation that he’d serve as a shutdown closer option for the Yankees. Instead, he has struggled so far this season and has shared closer duties with Luke Weaver.
For now, at least, it seems that whatever role he plays for the Yankees will be limited to a single inning per game.
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