Daily Report – 5/6/25

Here is today’s report:

Yankees

That’s enough, Devin.

Last night, in the rain, the Yankees were leading the San Diego Padres 3-0 entering the bottom of the eighth inning. Fernando Cruz threw two pitches at the bottom of the seventh to keep Carlos Rodón’s start scoreless. In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Yankees called upon the setup services of Devin Williams.

Williams was one of baseball’s best closers last season, earning 14 saves and a 1.25 ERA. In 2023, he earned 36 saves and posted a 1.53 ERA. In 2025, he has a 10.03 ERA across 11 2/3 innings pitched. Last night, he loaded the bases for Luke Weaver, who gave up four runs to give San Diego a 4-3 lead.

This past offseason, the Yankees traded Caleb Durbin and Nestor Cortes to Milwaukee for Devin Williams. Brian Cashman had been interested in Williams for several years, a right-handed relief pitcher known for his unique changeup that players call the “Airbender.” The Yankees are currently paying Williams $8.5 million to be their closer this season, and he will enter free agency when the season concludes.

When Devin Williams arrived at Yankees training camp in February, many of his fellow pitchers were discussing how they spent much of their offseason (and eventually their Spring Training) working in the Yankees’ pitching lab. Williams, however, was confident in his arsenal, and it seemed as if he felt he was too good for the pitching lab. Days later, he led a coalition to overturn the Yankees’ beard policy.

Williams’s struggles could be a result of the pressure of New York, the pressure of his pending free agency, or a direct result of not adapting to the Yankees’ pitching methods. It’s probably a mix of all three.

If Williams’ numbers aren’t disappointing enough, consider this: The Yankees now have five losses this season when leading in the eighth inning or later, the most such losses in baseball (Sharp). Williams has come out of the bullpen in three of those five games. These types of losses are inexcusable, and with injuries to key players like Jazz Chisholm Jr., Giancarlo Stanton, and Gerrit Cole, the Yankees’ 19-16 record leaves little room for error. Defense and pitching aren’t shaping up for a Yankees team that prioritized defense and pitching during the offseason. To add insult to injury, the Yankees’ 19-16 record is 0.5 games worse than that of the Athletics, and they don’t even have their own stadium.

While Williams was responsible for three of the four runs Luke Weaver watched cross home plate in the eighth inning, Weaver is responsible for allowing them to score, and Aaron Boone should be held accountable for removing Fernando Cruz after two pitches. Cruz has been one of the Yankees’ best relievers this season, and he should have stayed in the game to set up Weaver. But setting pitch count concerns aside, it was not yet time for the Yankees to deploy Devin Williams in a high-leverage situation, despite his three straight scoreless appearances since his demotion from the closer role.

Williams also sounds defeated. His tone of voice is flat and ashamed. New York isn’t Milwaukee; mistakes have massive repercussions in this town, especially for players who arrive with big expectations. “It’s one of those nights where you’re not only battling the hitter,” said Williams, referencing the weather and the significance of the outing. “I couldn’t figure it out with the release point on my fastball. It was getting away from me.”

It’s risky to be a two-pitch pitcher, and Williams only carries a changeup and fastball. In his final relief appearance in Milwaukee in the Wild Card round last postseason, he gave up a go-ahead three-run home run to Pete Alonso. He’s been broken ever since. Yes, I’m admitting Pete Alonso broke Devin Williams. Go ahead and quote me on the Rico Brogna.

Meanwhile, Carlos Rodón had a wonderful outing, giving up three hits and one walk across 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Rodón struggled immensely in 2023, and he shed some light on Williams’s struggles after last night’s game. “I know what it feels like. It’s not easy. But we acquired [Williams] for a reason. He’s such a great pitcher. He just needs to build that confidence, and he needs to know what kind of pitcher he is.”

What do the Yankees do with Devin Williams now? He’ll certainly be banned from high-leverage situations, but that could worsen, not improve, his confidence. Should the Yankees trade him? Should they designate him for assignment?

Speaking of designating pitchers for assignment, the Yankees made a peculiar decision today by DFAing Carlos Carrasco. The 38-year-old right-handed starter was 2-2 with the Yankees this season, featuring a 5.91 ERA and 25 strikeouts across 32 innings pitched. He’s been everything the Yankees could have asked him to be this season, but now he’s gone. The Yankees might have their hopes set on Marcus Stroman, who is expected to return from injury in the coming days. Or maybe they’ll make Ryan Yarbrough a starter or have Allan Winans start games. Although, according to Brian Hoch, Aaron Boone is “leaving open” the possibility of Carrasco returning.

In other news, Gerrit Cole is back – well, sort of. He’s graduated from the brace, and he plans to involve himself with the 2025 Yankees as much as possible. It will improve his mental state, he said. Cole will resume throwing in August, and he plans to rejoin the Yankees by this time next year. “I hope it comes back like a fresh, new set of tires,” said Cole about his pitching arm. “That’s the best hope, just a pit stop that took a little longer than we had hoped for.”

Every night, before he goes to sleep, Cole imagines pitching for the Yankees. “I haven’t given up any hits recently,” he said.

Yankees Transactions:

• 5/6: NYY sent RHP Scott Effross on a rehab assignment to FCL Yankees.

• 5/6: NYY designated RHP Carlos Carrasco for assignment.

• 5/6: NYY recalled RHP Yerry De los Santos from AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

Tonight, at 7:05 PM, the Yankees will try to force a rubber game against San Diego as two former Yankees teammates battle in the Bronx (YES, Gotham Sports, TBS). RHP Michael King (4-1, 2.09 ERA) will start for San Diego against RHP Clarke Schmidt (0-1, 5.52 ERA).

Following the 2023 season, the Yankees planned to bring back Michael King as a starter, but San Diego requested he be included in the blockbuster deal that sent Juan Soto to the Bronx. Now, King has become one of San Diego’s most dominant starters, and he was one of their best arms in last year’s postseason. “I definitely think I was given a longer leash as a starter [in San Diego],” said King when asked about the trade. “I was coming in as a starter in 2024, had the trade [for Soto] not happened. […] [The Yankees] have a lot of talent over there that has emerged in Luis Gil and Clarke [Schmidt], and they get [Max] Fried. I have no idea [if I could’ve become one of baseball’s best starters with the Yankees], but I’m very happy with where I’m at.

Here is tonight’s starting lineup for the New York Yankees:

1. CF Trent Grisham (L)

2. 1B Ben Rice (L)

3. RF Aaron Judge (C) (R)

4. LF Cody Bellinger (L)

5. DH Jasson Domínguez (S)

6. SS Anthony Volpe (R)

7. C Austin Wells (L)

8. 3B Oswaldo Cabrera (S)

9. 2B Jorbit Vivas (L)

P: RHP Clarke Schmidt (0-1, 5.52 ERA)

Schedule

7:05 PM: NYY vs. SD; YES, Gotham Sports, TBS; SP: RHP Clarke Schmidt (0-1, 5.52 ERA)

That will conclude this report. Enjoy your evening.