Analyzing highs and lows of Devin Williams’ career

Welcome to The Bronx, Devin Williams.

The Yankees landed the 30-year-old right-handed reliever and two-time All-Star from the Brewers on Friday, sending lefty pitcher Nestor Cortes, minor league second baseman Caleb Durbin and cash to Milwaukee.

To get a little more acquainted with Williams, here’s a look back at the highs and lows of the Bombers’ newest bullpen arm.

The Highs

Righty gets paid

A second-round pick in the 2013 amateur draft, Williams had committed to the University of Missouri but instead decided to forego college ball for the pro ranks.

That decision netted the 18-year-old a $1.35 million signing bonus.

Williams pitched in the Arizona League and the Pioneer League in 2013 and 2014, respectively, before reaching the Single-A level in 2015.

He pitched as both a starter and reliever as he worked his way up through the Brewers’ farm system.

The Show Beckons

Williams made his professional debut on Aug. 7, 2019 as a 24-year-old against the Pirates, tossing 1 2/3 innings and striking out three one while surrendering three hits and two runs, none of which were earned.

Rookie of the Year campaign

During the COVID-shortened 2020, Williams posted a staggering 0.33 ERA — the lowest mark in a single season with at least 21 innings pitched since at least 1913. 

Across 22 appearances, the reliever struck out half the batters he faced and surrendered just 18 hits in 27 innings.

With his Rookie of the Year honors, Williams became the first relief pitcher to take home the award since Craig Kimbrel (Braves) in 2011. 

He also nabbed the first of his two Trevor Hoffman Awards as the top NL reliever of the year.

The new closer in town

It was quite the head-scratcher in 2022: in the middle of a pennant race, while leading the NL Central by three games, the Brewers dealt away four-time All-Star, Josh Hader.

The blockbuster deal was a disaster for everyone involved — Sans Williams that is. 

In his age 27 season, the reliever assumed closing duties and never looked back.

He won his second Trevor Hoffman Award in 2023 with a career-high 36 saves, and Milwaukee and the reliever agreed to a one-year, $7.25 million contract — far and away the most lucrative of his career — to avoid arbitration in 2024.

Hey now, you’re an All-Star

Not surprisingly, Williams has been an All-Star twice (2022 and 2023).

Over those two years, Williams tossed 119 1/3 innings while allowing just 23 earned runs.

During that span, he amassed 183 strikeouts and a stellar 1.73 ERA.

The lows

Ouchies!

Williams partied a little bit too hard after the Brewers clinched the NL Central in September 2021, punching a wall and fracturing his pitching hand.

Shortly thereafter, Milwaukee announced that their top reliever would miss the remainder of the season.

Without Williams — who had pitched to a 2.50 ERA in 58 appearances on the season — the Brewers fell at the hands of the Braves in the NLDS.

Polar Bear bash

It was a home run so monumental even Mets radio voice Howie Rose got a standing ovation.

With his Mets on the verge of extinction — down 2-0 against the Brewers in the ninth inning of the win-or-go-home NL Wild Card Series’ Game 3 this October — Pete Alonso put the borough on his back and delivered his signature Mets moment. 

His line drive home run over the right field wall against Williams helped lift New York over Milwaukee, 4-2, and booked New York an NLDS date with the Phillies. 

Williams’ final stat line from that fateful evening: 2/3 innings, three hits and four earned runs. 

Across 21 2/3 innings pitched during the regular season in 2024, he had given up only one home run and three earned runs.

(Potential) pitch-tipper

Shortly after Alonso knocked out the Brewers, it came to light that Williams may have goofed on the hill.

Jomboy Media posted a breakdown of Williams’ delivery, which illustrated a slight difference in the way the reliever held his glove ahead of changeups versus fastballs.

That issue may have … tipped … the scales in favor of the Mets.