Sixteen years. That’s how long Yankees supporters have been waiting for another parade down the Canyon of Heroes to celebrate a title. They were finalists last year but returned empty-handed. This season has started strong with good beginnings, division leads, and the return of October magic. However, as October comes closer, they’re getting better at collapsing. The pitching debacle against the Astros on Wednesday was so bad that it made bleacher creatures furious.

The man behind the criticism is Devin Williams, a one-year, $8.6 million arm that the Yankees brought in to anchor their bullpen. Instead, it’s happening the opposite of what it is. In the eighth inning of game 2 against the Astros, he had three walks, one hit, four earned runs, and two strikeouts in just 0.2 innings. What could have been a routine pitch gave the Astros a 5-4 lead. That momentum shift turned the entire game around, and the Yanks lost it by 8-7.

To make matters worse, the carnage was broadcast loud and clear. Talkin Baseball shared the clip of his pitching in which he blew away the lead on X with the caption, “Devin Williams’ third walk of the inning gives the Astros a 5-4 lead”. That one post was like gasoline that set Yankee Twitter on fire. The comment section was screaming, and all they wanted was for Williams to be removed.

The frustration wasn’t just because of one game. Williams has not kept his end of the deal. He has a 3–6 record, a high 5.60 ERA, 78 strikeouts, and a 1.19 WHIP for the year 2025. Numbers that show more inconsistency than supremacy. Fans have been waiting for “good Devin” to show up, but the version on the mound is melting down at the worst moments.

As if giving away the lead wasn’t enough! In the eighth, Devin Williams was thrown out for arguing balls and strikes. After his third walk, which gave up the lead, he yelled at the umpire, “You missed four.” A few minutes later, manager Aaron Boone got involved and was sent out, too. His argument over another call ended with both being ejected during the bullpen breakdown.

Williams’ fall was the final straw for a fanbase that has endured many disappointing losses this season. When social media took off, Yankees Twitter turned into a digital war zone where no one held back their feelings.

Yankees meltdown: Fans go nuclear

The Yanks signed Williams as a solution, but lately it looks like he’s becoming a problem. And fans are taking note of everything. Here comes the harsh verdict: “Williams is the downfall of the 2025 Yankees.” Well, it’s not the first time the Pinstripes have lost a game due to bad play from the right-handed pitcher. Back in April, on the 26th, he couldn’t strike out anyone and gave up a go-ahead double in a 4-2 defeat to Toronto. Just a week earlier, on the 19th, he lost a four-run lead and the Rays won 10-8. Making mistakes once is okay, but thrice? That’s problematic.

Mentioning mistakes in the Yankees and the Volpe name won’t be impossible. Emphasizing exactly that, another fan chimed in, calling out not only Williams but the skipper, and Volpe too. “Boone, Williams, Volpe and Leiter all need to go. They’ve cost us too many games this season.” Anthony Volpe has made 18 errors this season.  Mark Leiter Jr., a reliever, has seen his ERA and WHIP drop to 8.44 and 2.44, respectively, in his last seven games. But why call the manager? Well, despite the errors and bad play, he gave them chances.

Every lost game feels bigger with October looming, and these bad plays are the last thing on the Yankees’ checklist. “This just shows how postseason is gonna go. We need good Devin, but sure as s–t, we don’t have him.” A reality check! Williams’ meltdowns not only cost games but also highlight key issues, as the Yankees find September leads meaningless if their closer can’t find the strike zone in critical moments. Currently, they hold a record of 77-62, with Boston trailing just 3.5 games behind. And if this keeps happening, can they make it to the playoffs?

For the Yanks, Williams isn’t the only issue; it’s the whole bullpen! A comment read, “Cannot win a championship with that sorry bullpen.” The Yankees’ bullpen in 2025 has struggled with a 4.23 ERA (21st in MLB), a WHIP over 1.30, and 20 blown saves that turned close games into nail-biters.

The existential crisis reached its peak when one fan begged, “Stop tormenting yourselves. If we stop watching games maybe they’ll actually consider changing some stuff around.” This is the worst thing a fan can do: stop watching a team that has been taking wins away from games when they should have been automatic.

The Yankees still have a chance to win the championship, but Williams’ recent performances isn’t something that can win games. With the playoffs coming, something needs to happen before the only thing that blows up is the fans’ patience.