Devin Williams has turned boos into cheers with his performance for the New York Yankees. He helped the Yankees rally for a 9-6 win against the Toronto Blue Jays…<\/p>\n
NEW YORK(AP) \u2014 Devin Williams started hearing boos just 18 pitches<\/a> into his New York Yankees’ career, making the Division Series cheers especially satisfying.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s nice to feel appreciated sometimes. Yeah, it was definitely a lot better than what I\u2019ve heard for much of the year,” he said.<\/p>\n Williams had his first multi-inning appearance in more than two years, part of 6 2\/3 scoreless innings by Yankees relievers as New York rallied for a 9-6 win Tuesday night that forced the AL Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays to a Game 4.<\/p>\n A two-time All-Star acquired from Milwaukee in December<\/a>, Williams had a career-worst 4.79 ERA and 18 saves in 22 chances. He’s pitched 3 1\/3 scoreless innings over three postseason games.<\/p>\n \u201cProud of him for going through certainly some, I’m sure, very tough moments professionally this year,\u201d Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. \u201cThat\u2019s part of being a pro, though. That\u2019s part of being great at this is handling those things and he\u2019s done that.”<\/p>\n A 31-year-old right-hander eligible for free agency after the World Series, Williams throws a fastball averaging 94 mph and a changeup known as an \u201cAirbender.\u201d Control issues hurt him this year, when batters had a .391 average in at-bats after he fell behind 2-0 in the count and .455 after he went to 3-1.<\/p>\n For much of the season, Boone kept pointing out advanced analytics showed Williams was pitching better than his statistics indicated. Williams’ opponents’ expected batting average of .198 ranked 17th among pitchers facing at least 100 hitters.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s baseball sometimes,” Williams said. “You hope that the math starts math-ing and stuff starts to go your way on balls that are typically outs, instead of finding holes they\u2019re finding gloves.”<\/p>\n His 2024 season ended in the Wild Card Series finale when he allowed a go-ahead, three-run homer to the Mets’ Pete Alonso<\/a>, and Williams struggled from the outset in pinstripes. He loaded the bases with no outs against his former team on opening day, allowed a sacrifice fly and then struck out Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich to preserve a 4-2 win over the Brewers<\/a>.<\/p>\n Demanding fans were livid.<\/p>\n Williams lost the closer’s job by late April, after allowing a go-ahead, two-run double to the Blue Jays’ Alejandro Kirk in a 4-2 loss<\/a> that left him 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA. Luke Weaver, who replaced Clay Holmes as closer in September 2024, regained the job until straining a hamstring on May 31.<\/p>\n Williams was thrust back into the finishing job and had converted 13 straight save chances before giving up a go-ahead, two-run homer to Tampa Bay’s Josh Lowe on July 30<\/a> in a game New York rebounded to win in 11 innings. Five days later, Williams allowed Joc Pederson\u2019s tying homer in the ninth<\/a> at Texas in a game the Yankees lost in 10 innings.<\/p>\n New York acquired David Bednar from Pittsburgh at the July 31 trade deadline and he took over as closer.<\/p>\n Williams had just one more save over the final two months of the season and suffered his fourth blown save on Aug. 30 when Chase Meidroth had a tying RBI single in the seventh<\/a> before the Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox in 11 innings.<\/p>\n \u201cMy mindset\u2019s never changed throughout this whole year,\u201d Williams said. \u201cI just kept showing up and now I\u2019m getting the results I want right now.\u201d<\/p>\n New York’s bullpen had a 4.37 ERA during the regular season, 23rd among the 30 teams, but came through with three-hit relief in Game 3 as Fernando Cruz, Tim Hill and Williams each got four outs, Camilo Doval three and Bednar five. Williams hadn’t pitched multiple innings since Sept. 1, 2023.<\/p>\n Back when Williams was struggling, Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton urged him to \u201ckeep pushing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s cool to see him get some appreciation for how hard he\u2019s worked all year,\u201d Stanton said.<\/p>\n