Aaron Boone reveals major difference between Clay Holmes and Devin Williams in closer roles

The New York Yankees struggled to find a closer who could last until the end of the season. After the team believed Clay Holmes would be the best person to close games for the Yankees last season, not long after the All-Star break, they had to put a stop to that thought following disappointing performances.

Ahead of the 2025 season, the Yankees went ahead and traded for former NL Reliever of the Year Devin Williams in hopes of landing a permanent closer. However, after Williams blew away a save opportunity against the Toronto Blue Jays, spiking his ERA to 11.25 in 10 games, Yankees manager Aaron Boone pulled the plug on him.

On Monday, Boone joined the "Talking Yanks" podcast and highlighted a major difference between Holmes and Williams in closer roles.

"He’s [Holmes] a little bit of a different pitcher than Devin, whereas I felt like it was easier to then say, with Clay, we could launch him in really good right-handed lanes, for example, to get him going," Boone said. "And he took off right away and obviously was really dynamic for us down the stretch and in the postseason."

(from 0:45 mark onwards)

Boone also shared thoughts on the way he handled Holmes' role change last season to that of Williams this season.

"Because the reality is, I feel like we have a lot of people down there that could finish off a game," Boone said. "And I kind of felt that way last year. I think this year, we actually have the makings of maybe even a better bullpen.

"Every year’s different, every situation’s different. It was a different time of the year. There was obviously a lot of noise around Clay when that happened," he added.

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Luke Weaver and Devin Williams settle into new roles

Amid disappointing performances from Williams in the ninth inning, manager Aaron Boone has turned to Luke Weaver for potential closing situations. Meanwhile, Williams has been switched to pitch in low-leverage situations.

Weaver has been a standout, registering two saves on the season, and is yet to give up a run in 14.0 innings pitched.

The Yankees have lost several games due to a potential late-inning blow-up. Their current 18-12 record could have been much better if not for that.

The Yankees are currently in the middle of a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park. After losing Game 1 4-3 on Monday, the Bronx Bombers responded with a 15-3 win on Tuesday. The series will be decided in Game 3 on Wednesday.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Veer Badani