Luke Weaver initially seemed to have overcome his rough start, but then the struggle resurfaced.
In a frustrating turn of events, the Yankees quickly saw a one-run lead transform into a three-run deficit, resulting in a 12-5 loss to the Phillies at the stadium on Friday night.
Weaver’s performance from the bullpen wasn’t all bad, but with the trade deadline approaching, there were concerns. Tim Hill allowed two runs to score, and after the Yankees narrowed the gap to 6-5, Ian Hamilton surrendered a two-run homer to Kyle Schwarber in the eighth. This marked Schwarber’s second home run of the game. Scott Efross added to the woes in the ninth, giving up four additional runs.
The bullpen collectively allowed 10 runs and nine hits in just the last three innings.
Manager Aaron Boone commented on the team’s effort, saying, “They’ve worked so hard. It’s a challenge now, but we’re stepping up.” It’s clear that the team is grappling with uphill battles.
Weaver entered the game during the seventh inning, following a slight lead for the Yankees. In the early innings, they had a 3-2 advantage. Nick Castellanos hit a ground ball, leading to a play at home where Paul Goldschmidt initially brought Trea Turner home. Unfortunately for the Yankees, Goldschmidt’s errant throw sailed over catcher Austin Wells’ head, allowing Turner to tie the game at 3-3. Shortly after, Weaver allowed a towering three-run homer to JT Realmuto, marking a turning point that shifted the game to a 6-3 lead for the Phillies.
Weaver’s struggles have been evident throughout the month, having allowed seven runs in just 1²/₃ innings across his first three appearances.
He expressed some confusion over his performance, stating it was “difficult to understand what was going on.” Yet, before Friday, he had a brief resurgence with four consecutive scoreless outings, allowing only one hit over 4¹/₃ innings.
But there was a clear pattern: he simply couldn’t keep the ball in the park, giving up seven home runs in his last 15¹/₃ innings.
Boone noted, “I feel like in his last few outings, we challenged him with a changeup to a good right-handed hitter tonight. It’s that war of attrition. It’s tough to get everyone in a good place. They got him tonight.”
