Yankees’ Aaron Boone has no plans to hide struggling Devin Williams

ARLINGTON, Texas — There is no running from Devin Williams’ struggles, but the Yankees are not going to run from Williams, either. 

Aaron Boone said Wednesday morning the Yankees need to “keep running him out there,” despite Williams coming off back-to-back days in which he blew the game — a 5-4 lead in the ninth inning Monday and a scoreless game in the eighth inning Tuesday, both of which ended in losses. 

It seems likely that Boone will try to find some lower-leverage landing spots for Williams his next few times out, as he did earlier this season after temporarily removing him from the closer’s role. But the Yankees also do not plan on hiding him. 

“It’s similar to after getting off to a rough start [this season], he rallied from that and really threw up a couple months of really consistent, outstanding work,” Boone said Wednesday before David Bednar secured the five-out save in a thrilling 3-2 win at Globe Life Field. “No reason to think he can’t do that again. He has the equipment to do it, and hopefully just a little rough patch here and we’ll get through that.” 

The Yankees believe that if they are going to be the team they think they can be, Williams will play a part in what could be a strong bullpen. 

But it has not happened of late, as Williams has given up a run in six of his past eight outings with a 9.39 ERA during that stretch. It has been reminiscent of how he started the year, when he had an 11.25 ERA through his first 10 games. 

In between those stretches, Williams pitched to a 2.63 ERA in 29 games, which is what gives the Yankees hope he can still be an important arm out of the bullpen. 

“I think wherever he’s pitching, if he’s pitching like he’s capable of, he’s got a chance to be massively successful,” Boone said. “Part of it is now we have, after the deadline, bringing in a number of guys that have a ton of back-end, closing-type experience. We’ll try to get these guys into the best spots to be successful. 

“Everyone’s got to pull their weight and get it done.” 

Round 2 of Anthony Volpe versus Jack Leiter went to the Yankees shortstop. 

In a matchup of the best friends and former Delbarton School teammates, Volpe got the best of Leiter again with an RBI single in his second at-bat that tied the game in the fourth inning. 

Volpe and Jasson Domínguez then pulled off a double steal that led to another run on a throwing error by former Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka during Leiter’s final at-bat. 

Volpe and Leiter had first squared off last season, when Volpe went 1-for-2, the same stat line he had Wednesday. 

Mark Leiter Jr., Leiter’s cousin, also picked up the win for the Yankees after throwing a scoreless inning of relief. 

Fernando Cruz (oblique strain) threw his first full bullpen session Monday and could advance to facing hitters in a live batting practice session on Sunday. 

Ryan Yarbrough (oblique strain), meanwhile, is set to throw his first live session on Thursday or Friday. The Yankees plan to eventually get him to the 30-35 pitch mark in his progression before deciding whether they want to bring him back as a reliever or keep building him up to reenter the rotation.