On a cold Wednesday afternoon at Comerica Park, the New York Yankees managed to pull off a 4-3 victory against the Detroit Tigers. The Yankees avoided a three-game sweep thanks to brilliant pitching from offseason acquisition Max Fried, who struck out eleven over seven scoreless innings on a day when the bullpen needed a rest.

In the game, Ben Rice, filling in for the injured Giancarlo Stanton, belted a two-run homer. However, the game saw drama when two-time All-Star closer Devin Williams had a rough ninth inning, allowing three runs.

Struggles Persist

Williams has not had the smoothest start to his season, having allowed four earned runs over just three innings. Despite this troubling performance, the 30-year-old asserts that he is physically fine but still finding his rhythm. “I haven’t felt like 100% myself up to this point,” Williams said, indicating a need for game experience and better execution after a slow start to the year.

He admitted that his changeup, a pitch that had been an effective tool throughout his career, has not been up to par this season, resulting in fewer swings and misses. Williams noted that typically, he is a slow starter and is optimistic about turning things around moving forward.

For now, the concern remains about the effectiveness of his signature pitch, with the hope that improvement will come soon as he continues to adjust and find his form.

“I haven’t felt like 100% myself up to this point,” stated Williams. “I just need game reps & lack of execution is a factor.”

For Williams, a potential free agent after this season, there is a lot at stake — his performance this year could impact his future contracts as he navigates the early parts of the season.