In a recent phone interview with MLB.com, Yankees closer Devin Williams discussed a wide range of topics, from getting his first save of the season against the Brewers -- his former big league team -- to his first experience with Yankees fans last fall.
MLB.com: How nervous were you when facing the Brewers on Thursday?
Williams: I wouldn¡¯t say I was nervous. There are other feelings I would use to describe it. It was different. It¡¯s the only team I ever played for. I have a lot of good relationships with the people over there. It was definitely a unique experience lining up against them.
MLB.com: You said you were not nervous. How would you describe it?
Williams: It was the first game. Kind of like butterflies, excitement. I want to do well. I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m nervous in any situation. That would never be the word I would use.
MLB.com: Now you are playing for the Yankees. What does it mean to play for the organization?
Williams: It¡¯s a big honor for me. There are a small number of guys that ever played in the big leagues, and an even smaller number that ever put on a Yankees jersey. This is the most storied organization in sports, so it¡¯s definitely a tremendous honor.
MLB.com: This is an organization that has had great closers like Mariano Rivera, Goose Gossage and Sparky Lyle. How much do you want to have a legacy like those guys?
Williams: That¡¯s the goal, right? I want to be as good as I can be. I think I have what it takes to do that. At the end of the day, I can¡¯t really focus on those guys too much. Their careers are done. They are cemented. I¡¯m still showing up every day trying to build my legacy. I can only be me every day. I can¡¯t compare myself to the ghost of Yankees history.
MLB.com: You started as a setup man until the Brewers traded Josh Hader to the Padres in 2022. How much do you like the closer¡¯s role?
Williams: I love it. I like being the last line of defense. I¡¯m going to do everything I can to get those last three outs. Once it¡¯s done, the game is over. That¡¯s just a great feeling.
MLB.com: Your worst moment as a closer was allowing the Pete Alonso home run in Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series last year. How long did it take you to get over it?
Williams: I mean, it takes time. I can¡¯t give you an exact answer, but you kind of dwell on it because, at that point, the season is over. So you do kind of dwell on it. It¡¯s not like you have a game the next day. But it took some time during the offseason. I was broken up over it. We lost. The season was over. I would say by the time I started training, I was over it. ¡ You go on to the next thing. It¡¯s just the mindset you have to have. That¡¯s baseball¡¯s mindset. Pitch by pitch, day by day, game by game, you move on to the next thing.
MLB.com: Who helped you get over it?
Williams: Nothing helped me get over it. It¡¯s a game. We are out here playing a sport. We lost one game. I had one bad moment and I lost. Now we move on to the next thing.
MLB.com: It was a big deal when you were traded to the Yankees. Besides being dealt [on Dec. 13] and all the hoopla that came with it, were you able to travel this past offseason like you normally do? What did you do?
Williams: Oddly enough, I spent 10 days in New York during the end of October into November. Then I ended up getting traded here.
MLB.com: What made you go to New York?
Williams: I never spent any real time here without having to go to the ballpark. The only time I¡¯ve been here prior to the trip is to just play. I figured New York would be a good spot to kind of explore. It ended up being pretty helpful that I got traded here. I¡¯m pretty familiar with the city.
MLB.com: In your time in New York last fall, what did you do?
Williams: Everything. I walked all over Manhattan, just finding random places to eat. They all ended up being good. I did a lot of shopping. I went to some museums. Just all things I needed to do. I sat in a bar and watched the Yankees play the Dodgers in the World Series with a lot of Yankees fans.
MLB.com: How weird was it to be with the fans? What¡¯s the name of the bar?
Williams: I can¡¯t remember what bar it was exactly, but it was kind of a random bar. There were a lot of Yankees fans. It was Game 4. It was cool. It was a unique experience for sure. I was like sitting among the fans and seeing how they react with every pitch. I was experiencing their emotions from a fan standpoint.
MLB.com: Every time I talk to you, which dates back to 2023, you seem to have that Bob Dylan personality. You are quiet, but you like to travel and observe what¡¯s around you. Would you say that¡¯s true?
Williams: I¡¯m not the loudest guy, obviously. I like to sit, listen, learn and observe others. I try to learn as much as I can, you could say.
MLB.com: You are going to be a free agent after this year. How much do you want to remain a Yankee?
Williams: I would love to. So far, everything has been great. The Yankees have great facilities. A great staff. Everything. At the end of the day, that¡¯s not really up to me.
MLB.com: It¡¯s up to both sides, don¡¯t you think? You and them.
Williams: A little bit, yeah. There has to be that mutual want on both ends. It¡¯s not just up to me.