There isn’t any timeline for Devin Williams to return to the Yankees’ nearer position.
However supervisor Aaron Boone likes what he’s seen from the right-handed reliever of late.
Williams fired one other scoreless inning in Friday evening’s 3-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, needing solely eight pitches to get by way of a 1-2-3 prime of the eighth.
That gave Williams three scoreless innings in three appearances since Boone eliminated him from closing duties to work by way of his early-season struggles.
“It’s been good to get him right back in there and pitching in leverage situations,” Boone stated after Friday’s series-opening win within the Bronx.
“I like how he’s getting after the strike zone, doing a good job of mixing [his] fastball with the great changeup. So, yeah, I’ve been really encouraged. You go through a tough stretch, and getting right back in there, it’s not easy. I feel like he’s throwing the ball well.”
Friday marked Williams’ first look at Yankee Stadium since April 25, when he surrendered three runs with out recording an out within the ninth inning of a 4-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Later that weekend, Boone introduced he was taking Williams out of the nearer position “for right now.” On the time, Williams was 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA, 4 saves and one blown save.
“It’s really just reps, getting into that mid-season form,” Williams stated final Sunday. “I always kind of start a little slow. The only year that I haven’t was the year that I played in the [World Baseball Classic], so I had to lock in a lot earlier that year. But, yeah, it’s just getting reps and game reps.”
Luke Weaver, who entered Saturday with a 0.00 ERA in 13 appearances, pitched a scoreless ninth on Friday for his third save.
The Yankees acquired Williams in an offseason commerce with the Milwaukee Brewers for beginning pitcher Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin. Williams is a two-time Nationwide League Reliever of the Yr, a two-time All-Star and has posted a sub-2.00 ERA in every of the final three seasons.
“As I’ve said, the guy’s great, and that didn’t go away because he had a couple of bad outings in a new environment,” Boone stated.
Boone has continued to deploy Williams in essential conditions.
Williams pitched the eighth inning on Monday and the seventh inning on Wednesday, with the Yankees down by one run to the Orioles in Baltimore in each video games.
He protected a three-run lead in Friday’s win to choose up his first maintain.
Williams didn’t permit successful in any of these three outings.
“It’s just about getting more consistent in the strike zone, which he’s done, and I feel like now he’s starting to stack some outings,” Boone stated. “Hopefully [he’ll] just continue to stack those outings.”
NEW NO. 1
For the primary time this season, Cody Bellinger discovered himself within the Yankees’ leadoff spot.
The lefty-swinging Bellinger was atop the order on Saturday with Rays right-hander Zack Littell on the mound and Trent Grisham getting the time without work.
“Somebody’s got to go there,” Boone stated. “I kind of like [Ben] Rice in there behind [Aaron] Judge right now. [Bellinger has] done it in the past. Hopefully he can set a tone for us today.”
Saturday marked Bellinger’s third profession begin within the leadoff spot. He has primarily hit second or third with the Yankees however has now began in every of the primary 5 spots within the order.
Bellinger grew to become the fifth participant to guide off for the Yankees this yr, becoming a member of Grisham, Rice, Paul Goldschmidt and Austin Wells.
LEMAHIEU LATEST
DJ LeMahieu resumed his rehab task on Friday evening, going 0-for-3 with a stroll and a run with Double-A Somerset.
It was the primary rehab sport since Sunday for LeMahieu, who on Tuesday obtained a cortisone shot in his hip.
LeMahieu is on the injured record for a calf pressure that he suffered in spring coaching. He obtained the shot in his hip to “preemptively” deal with one thing he felt might have been approaching, in line with Boone.
The veteran infielder is now 6-for-13 with a house run and three RBI in 5 rehab video games at Double-A. Boone stated he doesn’t have a timeline for LeMahieu’s return to the Yankees.
