Devin Williams had quite the debut for the New York Yankees, but it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. Coming in as the closer, he got the usual dramatic intro with lights and music, like many big-name closers do, and was ready to finish off the game. But instead of a quick, easy save, Williams had to work hard to get through it. He ended up needing 36 pitches, which is the most he’s thrown in any of his 69 career saves.

It was especially tough since he was facing his old team, the Milwaukee Brewers, just months after being traded to the Yankees. Even though the game started off rocky with the first three batters reaching base, Williams managed to pull through. He got the Brewers to strike out twice and allowed just one sacrifice fly, escaping the jam and securing the save.

Aaron Judge thought it was impressive, considering how tough it is to get the last three outs in any game, let alone against your former teammates. Yankees manager Aaron Boone was a bit nervous watching Williams work that long but acknowledged that the situation was high pressure.

Williams himself said he didn’t feel any added pressure, even though the crowd was a bit anxious with some nervous boos early on. The Yankees didn’t want the game to spiral, especially with all the excitement around Opening Day, but Williams held it together and finished the job. He said it wasn’t his best outing, but sometimes you’ve got to grind through it.

The Brewers tried to take advantage of what they knew about Williams, especially his signature “Airbender” changeup, but in the end, they couldn’t get past him. Milwaukee’s manager praised Williams for being one of the best, even though they knew his game well. For some Brewers players, though, they didn’t think their familiarity with him made much of a difference.

In the end, it was a tough but successful debut for Williams, and it showed he’s got the mental toughness to handle pressure, especially when it comes against his old team.