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On Wednesday, the MLB official page on X (formerly Twitter) named closer Devin Williams as the "number one relief pitcher" in the majors. Several fans feel that the hype surrounding Williams does not actually translate to on-pitch performances, especially in high-pressure games.
Williams had a strong year with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024, finishing the regular season with a 1-0 record, along with a 1.25 ERA and 38 strikeouts, accumulating 14 saves in the process.
The 30-year-old made a huge mistake in what was perhaps the Brewers' most crucial game of the season, when Pete Alonso homered off his fastball in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the wildcard series, eliminating the Brewers from the playoffs.
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When the list was posted, fans expressed their disagreement.
"Devin Williams the most overhyped dude in history"
"Now Devin Williams is "The Best" reliever in MLB. Amazing how different the media treats you when you're a Yankee."
"Williams wouldn’t be number one on this list if he hadn’t been traded. Just sayin’." another fan commented
"So Williams jumped up how many spots because of a UNIFORM CHNAGE?" another fan posted
"Devin Williams?? 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭" another fan shared
"I like Williams but he's not number 1" another fan wrote
Mets great explains Devin Williams being ranked as the best closer in the major leagues for 2024
When the MLB ranked Devin Williams as the best reliever in the big leagues on Wednesday, New York Mets legend Ron Darling shared his opinion.
"The consistency of the greatness he's shown early in his career is why he's here. He's had one of the best changeups I've seen in quite some time," Darling said [0:03].
The changeup that Darling talks about, is one that Williams developed during the 2019 spring training, as he experimented with his pitching style to transition from a two-seamer to a four-seamer, which gave the ball a trajectory that was almost "unhittable" at times. This led to Williams earning the nickname "Airbender."
Though last season ended on a disappointing note for Williams, he was traded to the New York Yankees. Looking forward to the 2025 season, both Yankees fans and Williams himself will be hoping for a long and successful postseason run.
