TORONTO – Luke Weaver made his postseason debut on Sunday, needing just one pitch to finish the eighth inning during a Yankees defeat.
Despite it being a relatively low-pressure situation in October, manager Aaron Boone emphasized that the Yankees aren’t looking to give up on him just yet after his initial two playoff outings.
Weaver, who came close to the World Series last year, has faced setbacks this season. The Yankees recognized some issues with his pitching technique, which were evident last month.
He didn’t manage to get an out in his first two playoff games, including a challenging seventh inning in a tight 2-1 contest that ended with a 10-1 loss to the Blue Jays in Game 1 of the ALDS.
“If that’s the case,” Boone remarked on the team’s earlier loss, noting that Weaver is on the verge of making a turnaround. He’s not trying to excuse a lack of effectiveness but aimed at refining some aspects of Weaver’s performance swiftly.
Weaver did manage to secure an out against Daulton Varsho with a single pitch in the eighth inning, which was a small win for him.
Of course, the bullpen’s lineup isn’t set in stone. Kamilo Doval, in particular, impressed with two flawless innings in Game 1.
Nonetheless, every player needs to step up if the Yankees want to achieve their goals. Boone pointed out that different pitchers take on high-leverage roles depending on game circumstances, especially during the playoffs.
For his part, Weaver expressed a readiness to revisit his previous techniques and not get too caught up in his pitching challenges.
Boone weighed the possibility of starting Paul Goldschmidt on Sunday because the Blue Jays’ right-handed pitcher is tough on lefties.
Ultimately, he opted for Ben Rice, who initially struggled but later went 2-for-2 with an RBI double after coming in to replace Wells.
Rice also caught the last two innings, marking his first appearance behind the plate in the playoffs.
