NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 Devin Williams lost his job as Yankees closer after stumbling repeatedly during his first 10 games with New York.
Manager Aaron Boone made the announcement before Sunday’s doubleheader against Toronto, two days after the two-time All-Star in a 4-2 loss to the Blue Jays.
鈥淗e鈥檚 still got everything to be great, right? This is a guy that is in the prime of his career and he’s just going through it a little bit,” Boone said. 鈥淚 tell our players all the time, you make a career at this long enough and you鈥檙e going to face some challenging moments, you鈥檙e going to face some adversity along the way and the good news for Devin is he鈥檚 got everything to get through this and come out better on the other side, and that鈥檚 my expectation.”
Luke Weaver, who , will get most of the opportunities to finish tight games with leads. Williams will appear in lower leverage situations.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 best for everyone that we pull him out of that role and just try and start building some good rhythm and confidence and momentum,鈥 Boone said.
, Williams is 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA and four saves in five chances. He was when he allowed the Brewers to load with the bases with no outs before preserving a
鈥淲hen I came here in 2003 at the trade deadline, Mariano Rivera was getting booed in August. I couldn鈥檛 believe it,鈥 Boone said. 鈥淚鈥檓 sure there鈥檚 some shock to that and like some, OK, get settled, he鈥檚 with a new team in a new environment. That鈥檚 all part of it. And my reminder to him is you have all the equipment to do this at an elite level. ... I鈥檓 sure that鈥檚 an interesting feeling to process. But, again, that鈥檚 what you do as a big leaguer. You got to deal with different external factors that can leak in and have an effect on you.鈥
Boone informed Willams of his decision on Saturday, when the Yankees were rained out.
鈥淲e had a really good conversation yesterday about it and he鈥檚 ready to do whatever,鈥 Boone said. 鈥淎s you go through these things as a player, even when you鈥檙e really good at this, it鈥檚 a struggle. But I think 鈥 I do believe at his core he knows that he鈥檚 going to get through this. It鈥檚 just when you鈥檙e going through it, it鈥檚 a little challenging to find and trust that.鈥
Williams was one of the major leagues’ most dominant pitchers with the Brewers from 2019-24, with a 1.83 ERA, 68 saves in 78 chances, an average of 14.39 strikeouts per nine innings and a .156 opponents’ batting average. He has dropped to 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings and a .343 opponents’ batting average this season.
Batters had a .097 average last year against his changeup, known as the 鈥淎irbender.鈥 They are hitting .273 against it this season. Batters are hitting .462 against his fastball, up from .111.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been obviously a struggle in a new environment, in a bigger place,鈥 Boone said.
Luis Gil begins throwing program
AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, sidelined since Feb. 28 , started his throwing program Sunday.
鈥淚mportant step in the process,鈥 Boone said.
Gil is on the 60-day injured list and is projected to return in June at the earliest.
Jonathan Lo谩isiga starts reha
b assignment
Returning from last year, 30-year-old right-hander Jonathan Lo谩isiga threw 11 pitches and struck out one in a perfect sixth inning on Saturday for Class A Tampa against Dunedin. It was the first rehab outing for Lo谩isiga, who could rejoin the Yankees in late May or June.
DJ LeMahieu to move up in minors
Infielder DJ LeMahieu, sidelined since straining his left calf in his spring training debut on March 1, was to make a fourth rehab appearance Sunday for Double-A Somerset. He has been playing second base and will start to play third next week.
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