The return outing for Luke Weaver and the Yankees didn’t go as planned.
After a stint on the injured list due to left hamstring tension, Weaver was expected to help solidify the bullpen alongside Devin Williams. However, he struggled during the eighth inning, giving up two runs in a 5-3 defeat to Baltimore.
Before the game, manager Aaron Boone had expressed confidence in utilizing both pitchers effectively, highlighting Weaver’s adaptability.
Weaver’s return wasn’t great; after being activated on Friday, he promptly allowed a go-ahead solo home run to Ramon Urias. “I threw a solid pitch and he swings pretty well,” Weaver lamented afterward. “Watching it go up, I felt pretty much crushed. It wasn’t the return I was looking for at all.” He admitted to having trouble controlling his changeup and finishing off batters with two strikes.
Boone had previously mentioned that both Weaver and Williams would be used in closing situations, depending on the game’s context.
Additionally, he mentioned Weaver could fill a multi-inning “firefighter” role if the need arose, which the Yankees found successful last season. Earlier this year, Weaver returned to a closing position when Williams struggled after coming over from Milwaukee in the offseason.
Since then, Williams has found his rhythm, thriving in the setup role; Boone noticed improvements even before Weaver’s recent comeback. “We’re both available, so in a save situation, we’ll likely match up our best option,” Boone stated, expressing trust in Williams’ capabilities.
Despite recent struggles, Williams has shown promise, particularly with his fastball/changeup mix, helping the team over the last month. Boone noted, “I plan to close many games with him.” He acknowledged that there are still occasions when using Williams in the eighth inning could prove beneficial.
However, Williams hasn’t reached the same level of dominance that Weaver had before his injury. Coming back, Weaver had allowed just three runs over 25²/₃ innings and held an impressive whip of 0.701 during that stretch.
“Last year was quite unpredictable for me,” Weaver reflected on his initial season with the Yankees. Starting as a multi-inning reliever and finishing as a closer during the playoffs demonstrated his ability to adapt to various roles within the team.
Now, with Williams’ arrival, Weaver finds himself back in a setup position, but it’s clear he can rise to the occasion, whatever the Yankees throw at him.
