New Yankees closer Devin Williams breaks out his 'airbender' pitch at spring training

CLEARWATER, Fla. — New Yankees closer Devin Williams broke out his “airbender” in a game for the first time in camp Tuesday.

And though his use of the unique pitch didn’t quite reflect the frequency with which he throws it during the regular season, it nonetheless looked, in a short one-inning sample size in a 12-3 victory over the Phillies at BayCare Park, pretty much the way it did during live batting practice sessions at Steinbrenner Field.

And what it’s looked like most of his first six years in the majors with the Brewers.

That, if you’re not familiar with Williams’ career, is a good thing.

The righthander, brought in via trade in the offseason to be the Yankees closer, throws a fastball in the mid-to-high 90s, but that’s not why the 30-year-old is a two-time All-Star and won NL Rookie of the Year in 2020.

His success has stemmed primarily from his changeup, but not just any changeup. That would be like saying Mariano Rivera threw a cutter and leaving it at that.

Hence, the airbender — as Williams’ changeup is best known — a pitch Aaron Boone colorfully described before Tuesday’s game.

“It’s almost like a combination of a forkball, knuckleball [and] changeup,” Boone said. “It’s pretty good.”

The Yankees, with starting pitching surplus after signing lefthander Max Fried early in the winter, acquired Williams from Milwaukee for Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin. Williams, who allowed one hit and struck out a batter in a scoreless fourth inning Tuesday, has a 1.83 career ERA, striking out 375 in 235 2/3 innings.

“He is one of the game’s great closers,” Boone said. “[People] talk about the airbender, rightfully so. It’s just a wicked, freak pitch. But the fastball’s real, too. [He’s] real easy on the mound, real fluid on the mound, very athletic. Stuff’s really good. He’s looked really good so far this spring. He’s a front-line guy.”

Williams entered the game in the fourth and retired Alec Bohm on a grounder to short on a 94-mph fastball. Kyle Schwarber stroked a 94-mph fastball to right for a single, but Williams struck out J.T. Realmuto swinging at an 87-mph changeup and ended the inning by getting Max Kepler to foul out on a 95-mph fastball.

“It was fun watching the Realmuto [at-bat],” Boone said afterward. “You could see the discipline of making him get the ball up a little bit. Laid off a couple of good ones down and then he just kind of moved it enough [the strikeout pitch] and you could really see the bottom [drop out]. Good to get him out there. Thought he was sharp.”

It was primarily fastballs and changeups in the 12-pitch outing, though Williams did mix in a cutter, a pitch he’s tinkering with, during the five-pitch Schwarber at-bat.

“It comes and goes,” Williams said of the cutter with a slight smile. “If the situation’s there, I’ll throw it. He seemed like a good candidate for it. Stole a strike with it, didn’t help me in the end. He ended up getting a hit.”

Williams is in spring training in Florida for the first time in his career as the Brewers, who drafted him in the second round of the 2013 draft, train in Arizona. He indicated he’s a bit more comfortable with the feel of the changeup at this point of camp than in previous years.

“Here’s a little bit different,” Williams said. “In Arizona, it wouldn’t necessarily play the same because the dry air up there. This is more of what I’m used to. I spend all offseason in this kind of weather and that’s what we’re typically playing in. I feel like I’ve hit the ground running with it.”

Notes & quotes: Roger Clemens, a guest instructor in Yankees camp for the first time and with them the better part of the last two weeks, exchanged lineup cards before Tuesday’s game with his son, Kody, a player in the Phillies organization … Will Warren, who nearly won the fifth starter job last season before being bypassed by a late-charging Luis Gil, allowed one run, a hit and a walk and struck out four in three innings. “He was excellent,” Boone said. “The changeup’s real now, you see the life on the fastball. Another good day for him.” Warren, who is focusing on refining his curveball, struck out two in the first, getting Bryce Harper swinging at a 94-mph fastball and Schwarber swinging, also on a 94-mph fastball. He struck out Realmuto looking at a changeup to start the second and Trea Turner looking at a sweeper for the second out of the third.