It feels like Opening Day was only yesterday, but the truth is that the first month of the 2025 MLB season is already in the books. The Boston Red Sox had their fair share of ups and downs throughout April as they head into the month's final two games with a 16-14 record, good for second place in the AL East standings.
The end of a month is always a good time to check in on a team's rivals, and the Red Sox aren't an exception. In fact, when it comes to the other AL East clubs, one of Boston's top foes just admitted that a certain offseason addition is nothing but a failure.
Red Sox News: Yankees' Signing RHP Devin Williams is Officially a Bust
AL East clubs are constantly trying to one-up each other, which is what the New York Yankees attempted to do when they acquired right-handed reliever Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers in December. It seemed like a good deal at the time, considering how Williams went 15-7 with a 1.66 ERA, 65 saves, and two All-Star appearances from 2022 to 2024.
Unfortunately, for the Yankees, that isn't the version of Williams who showed up on the mound this season. He's giving up walks, runs, and hits at a personal-worst rate only a month into his New York tenure, prompting the coaching staff to pull him from the closing role.
YES Network's Jack Curry reported over the weekend that Williams will no longer be the Yankees' closer going forward, according to manager Aaron Boone. New York's skipper added that veteran RHP Luke Weaver will handle closing duties until Williams is back on track.
Aaron Boone says Devin Williams has been removed from the closer role, per @JackCurryYES
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) April 27, 2025
Boone says Luke Weaver will get “a lot” of the save opportunities. Boone told Williams they want him to gain some momentum before hopefully returning to being the closer pic.twitter.com/rzaKGbCucd
One glance at the former National League Rookie of the Year's numbers is all it takes to find out why he doesn't deserve closing duties anymore.
Through his first 10 appearances with the Yankees, Williams is 0-2 with a putrid 11.25 ERA, having given up 10 earned runs on 12 hits across eight innings of work. He's currently 4-of-5 when it comes to save opportunities, and is allowing career worsts when it comes to hits (13.5) and walks (7.9) per nine innings pitched.
Williams' contract expires at the end of the 2025 campaign, leaving time to tell if he can bounce back enough to convince the Yankees to re-sign him.
Regardless of whether or not Williams turns things around, Red Sox fans will continue enjoying his struggles. It's always fun to watch one of the Yankees' big moves blow up in their face, especially this early into the season.
Hopefully, the two-time NL Reliever of the Year's struggles persist long enough for Boston to take advantage of them when Alex Cora's club takes on New York in the AL East rivals' first series of the season in early June.
In the meantime, the Red Sox will continue chasing the Yankees for the division lead. FanDuel Sportsbook currently has Boston with the second-best AL East odds (+300), while New York continues to lead the way as the odds-on favorite (-150) just days before May.
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