John Sterling is a legendary broadcaster, which means he knows when it’s time to not mince his words.
The 87-year-old Sterling was the radio voice of the Yankees beginning in 1989, retiring at the conclusion of the 2024 playoffs. But he still hosts a weekly radio show on WABC in New York, and this week, he had some pointed comments to make.
Yankees reliever Devin Williams has been brutal lately, losing his closer role in the middle of a week in which he cost New York three games. He worked a strong inning on Sunday, but he’s still got a long way to go if he wants to earn back trust.
It will certainly take more than one good outing to get back in Sterling’s good graces, as the ex-broadcaster made very clear in his latest show.
On Saturday, Sterling had a humorous bit of advice for Yankees manager Aaron Boone, one which came off as a caution of sorts: Don’t put Williams on the mound in an important spot.
“I’m going to tell him, ‘Don’t pitch Devin Williams, OK?” Sterling said, per Talk Radio 77 WABC. “You know, I know you want to, but don’t. Don’t. OK, that’s my great advice for Boonie.”
Williams, the two-time National League Reliever of the Year with the Milwaukee Brewers, has been shockingly bad all season, and this latest stretch was like something out of a horror movie.
In four outings between July 30 and Aug. 8, Williams allowed seven earned runs, picking up two blown saves and two losses. His season ERA jumped from 4.69 to 5.73 during that stretch.
Sterling has seen more baseball than just about anyone alive, but it doesn’t take his expertise to declare that Williams can’t be trusted at the moment.
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