Yankees' Devin Williams says Pete Alonso homer will fuel him going forward
Devin Williams walks off the field after being relieved in the ninth inning during Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series at American Family Field on Oct. 3, 2024 in Milwaukee. Credit: Getty Images
One of the final pitches Devin Williams threw as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers was hit by Pete Alonso over the rightfield fence at American Family Field in the ninth inning of the deciding Game 3 of the NL wild-card series against the Mets.
The three-run homer eventually led to the end of the Brewers’ season and sent the Mets onto the NLDS.
Last week, Milwaukee traded Williams to the Yankees for Nestor Cortes, prospect Caleb Durbin and cash. Williams will join Luke Weaver to front what the Yankees will hope is a lockdown end of the bullpen.
Williams, who was introduced on Tuesday in a Zoom news conference, said the Alonso homer will fuel him in 2025.
“To be honest, the way my mind works, every failure I've ever had has stuck with me,” Williams said. “But it's not something that holds me back. If anything, it pushes me forward. Every time I fail, I want to get back on the mound to right myself. That's how I've been every time I failed. I've blown saves before. The next day, I want the ball again. I want to get out there and put up a zero and help my team win.”
Williams, 30, has 68 career saves in six seasons (all with Milwaukee). He went 1-0 with a 1.25 ERA and 14 saves in 22 regular-season appearances in 2024. He missed the first half of the season with stress fractures in his back, but says he is healthy now.
The Brewers traded Williams because he will be a free agent after the season. The Yankees and Williams haven’t talked about a possible contract extension, but he said he is open to the idea.
The Yankees announced the previously reported signing of former Atlanta lefthander Max Fried to an eight-year, $218-million deal. Fried will be introduced at a Yankee Stadium.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
