15-year veteran has ruthless reaction to Yankees' Devin Williams recent struggles
Context:
Devin Williams, the former closer for the New York Yankees, is currently experiencing the worst performance of his career, leading to his removal from the closer role. Former Yankees reliever Adam Ottavino commented on Williams' struggles, noting a combination of bad luck and poor performance, with his batting average on balls in play being unsustainably high. Ottavino advised that it was a wise decision by Yankees manager Aaron Boone to remove Williams from the closer role in order to allow him time to regain his confidence and effectiveness. There is also a significant mental aspect to Williams' struggles, as the atmosphere in the stadium when he enters games is not conducive to a positive performance. The Yankees and Williams need to work together to address these issues and restore his previous form amidst the high-pressure environment of playing for such a renowned team.
Dive Deeper:
Devin Williams is facing a tough period in his career with the New York Yankees, marked by his worst pitching performance and a subsequent demotion from his role as a closer, which he has held for most of his career.
Adam Ottavino, a former Yankees reliever, has provided insights into Williams' struggles, pointing out that a combination of bad luck and poor performance is affecting him, particularly highlighting an unsustainable batting average on balls in play.
Ottavino praised Yankees manager Aaron Boone for the decision to move Williams out of the closer role, suggesting that it allows Williams a chance to rebuild his confidence through a period of success.
The mental aspect of Williams' current situation is significant, with the atmosphere in the stadium when he pitches being unfavorable, contributing to a negative spiral in his performance.
The high-profile nature of being a Yankees closer adds to the pressure, requiring both the team and Williams to find a solution to his recent struggles to help him return to his optimal form.
Who else to speak on a star pitcher’s struggles than a former star pitcher.?
The Yankees have had some great arms come through their system over time, with former reliever Adam Ottavino offering some sage advice to Yankees’ former-closer Devin Williams.
“You’ve got two things going on at the same time, which are a tough combination,” Ottavino said during an appearance on SNY’s Baseball Night in New York. “Number one, he’s getting unlucky. His batting average on balls in play is too high. It’s unsustainable. And number two, it’s the worst he’s ever pitched in his career.”
It is the worst Williams has ever pitched in his career, with the right-hander being moved from his closer spot — a role he’s held throughout the majority of his career.
“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.”
“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.”
Being the closer of a team as high-profile as the Yankees certainly does not come without stress, it’ll be up to the Yankees and Williams to find a fix for his recent struggles.