Yankees Acquire Devin Williams and His Signature "Airbender" Pitch

On Friday, the New York Yankees made a significant move by trading for Milwaukee Brewers' All-Star closer Devin Williams. In doing so, they didn't just acquire one of the most elite relievers in the game, but also one of the most unique and effective pitches: the "Airbender." This pitch is so famous in Wisconsin that in 2023, the Brewers even named a limited-edition ale after it, "Airbender Ale."

Williams will now join a Yankees bullpen that once featured Mariano Rivera's legendary cutter, a pitch that Rivera rode all the way to the Hall of Fame. While Rivera's cutter became iconic, the "Airbender" has a brand and a reputation all its own. As Williams transitions to the Bronx, let's delve into what makes the "Airbender" so special and effective.

The "Airbender" is technically a changeup, but it defies traditional expectations. As Williams explained to MLB.com's David Adler in 2023, "It's called a changeup. You can't change up off of a changeup. If that's the only thing you're throwing, you're not changing anything, no matter how good it is."

Traditional changeups work by creating a velocity and movement separation from the fastball and generally have lower spin rates. They serve as a secondary pitch. Williams' "Airbender," however, is the highest-spin changeup on record. The average changeup since 2015 spins at 1,769 RPM, with only a few surpassing 2,200 RPM and even fewer reaching 2,400 RPM. Williams' "Airbender" spins at an incredible 2,752 RPM, far exceeding the competition.

This high spin rate is not typical for changeups, making the "Airbender" an outlier. As Williams told The Athletic in 2020, "The spin I’m able to create makes it different from every other changeup." This unique characteristic allows the pitch to behave unpredictably, making it exceptionally difficult for batters to hit.