Demoted Yankees closer Devin Williams might be getting mojo back after strong outing

BALTIMORE — It was only one outing, but Devin Williams’ first time on the mound not as Yankees closer — at least for now — was a step in the right direction.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.

With the Yankees trailing by a run in the bottom of the eighth inning Monday night, Aaron Boone called on his embattled reliever and Williams delivered a 1-2-3 inning on 14 pitches with a strikeout in a 4-3 loss to the Orioles at Camden Yards.Making his first appearance since Friday, when he blew a save that led to Boone removing him from the role of closer on Sunday, Williams recorded only his third clean outing of the season (in his 11th appearance).“Really good.Just liked his look,” Boone said.

“It was aggressive, in the strike zone.He was aggressive with his fastball.

Every changeup he threw … I liked the depth on the pitch.But also establishing his fastball and in the strike zone with it.“I thought he had some real good conviction with every pitch he threw.”When Williams began to warm in the top of the eighth, the Yankees were trailing 4-1.

They pushed across two runs in the inning before Williams took the mound and kept it a one-run game against the Orioles’ 5-7 hitters.He then returned to a dugout where his teammates were fired up for him.“Hopefully it’s just little things here that get your mojo [back] and remind you how darn good you are at this game,” Boone said.With Luke Weaver taking over as closer, it remains to be seen when or how Williams can win the job back – particularly if Weaver handles it as well as he did late last season, when he took over for Clay Holmes.

Williams indicated on Sunday that his bigger immediate concern was “to put up zeroes,” with Monday representing a good start.After conversations with Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s representatives, the league dropped the one-game suspension he had been facing for viola...