New York Yankees Star Closer Discusses Approach, Adjustment to Franchise

The New York Yankees made a splash by acquiring one of the game's best closers, and he spoke with MLB Network about getting acclimated to his new team.

Mar 4, 2025; Clearwater, Florida, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Devin Williams (38) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fourth inning during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees were front and center in the broader MLB picture this offseason, as they grabbed headlines for failing to retain Juan Soto but also for the major acquisitions they made with the resulting financial flexibility.

Vice president and general manager Brian Cashman made signature moves on every section of the roster. He landed Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs to address the void at center field, signed Max Fried to slot in behind ace Gerrit Cole, and brought in veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to provide stability at a position of weakness.

Cashman also made the biggest bullpen splash of any team in the league this winter when he acquired all-star closer Devin Williams in a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The brilliant move gives manager Aaron Boone a fantastic one-two punch to deploy late in games to convert leads into wins, as Williams will team up with incumbent closer Luke Weaver, who wowed the league with a 2.89 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 84 innings pitched a year ago.

Compare those numbers with Williams' marks of 38 strikeouts and a 1.25 ERA across 21.2 innings in an injury-plaged campaign, and it is easy to say the Yankees have the best bullpen duo MLB has to offer.

But as perfect as this fit is on paper, Williams is a veteran player who is changing teams for the first time in his career, and the adjustment process is one worth monitoring, especially with the massive step up in fan and media pressure the 30-year-old will face in moving from Milwaukee to New York.

"They really are a first class organization. They do everything top of the line."@DTrainn_23 is enjoying his time in the historic @Yankees organization.

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— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 6, 2025

MLB Network made its stop in Tampa to visit Yankees camp, and Williams spoke with Lauren Shehadi about his whirlwind offseason and the transition to his new team.

"It's been awesome so far," Williams told Shehadi. "They really are a first class organization. They do everything top of the line. It's a great group of guys over here as well, and I'm really getting along with everybody."

So far, so good for Williams as a member of the Yankees organization, and the same holds true on the mound, as he made his spring training debut in a March 4 game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The right-hander threw just his typical one inning, and he retired Alec Bohm on a ground ball before allowing a single to Kyle Schwarber. He then escaped the inning without allowing a run by striking out J.T. Realmuto and getting Max Kepler to pop out.

With Williams' track record, success in the spring and regular season is a near certainty. This acquisition will be judged on what the 2020 National League Rookie of the Year does in October to help the Yankees in their quest for their first World Series title since 2009.