The Yankees knew life without Luke Weaver would be tough — they just didn’t expect it to feel this fragile so quickly.
Losing a dominant closer is like losing your safety net on a high-wire act — you feel every wobble more than ever.
Weaver’s injury leaves a gaping hole in the bullpen
Before straining his hamstring, Luke Weaver had been nearly automatic in high-leverage situations, boasting a 1.05 ERA over 25.2 innings.
He wasn’t just efficient — he was dependable, cool under pressure, and striking out batters at an elite rate.
Now, the Yankees will have to patch together saves for the next 4–6 weeks, hoping someone steps up in his absence.
That someone, at least for now, is Devin Williams, who has been anything but steady this season.
Devin Williams’ first test didn’t inspire confidence
On Tuesday night, Williams was called upon to protect a narrow lead against the Cleveland Guardians — and it got dicey.
He tossed 30 pitches to close out the inning, giving up two hits, one earned run, and nearly blowing the save.
It wasn’t exactly the confident return fans were hoping for. His ERA ballooned to 6.35 over 22.2 innings this season.
Williams still owns elite swing-and-miss stuff, but his command and poise are clearly not where they need to be right now.
In a game where starter Carlos Rodon gave the Yankees seven innings of one-run baseball, Williams nearly gave it away.
Boone tries to cool the nerves, but doubts linger
After the game, manager Aaron Boone attempted to smooth over the rocky outing, praising Williams’ pitch mix and execution.
“Devin really executed a lot that at-bat too,” Boone said, referencing Carlos Santana’s gritty plate appearance in the 9th.
The vote of confidence was a nice gesture, but it doesn’t change what everyone saw — Williams is a liability right now.
And even Williams acknowledged the pressure, saying, “That’s the job they need me to do now… just trying to do my best.”
But this isn’t a “try your best” kind of role. It’s a closer’s role — a spot that demands nerves of steel and perfect timing.
The Yankees may need to pivot sooner than expected
If Williams can’t steady himself over the next few outings, the Yankees may need to get creative with the closer situation.
They could go with a committee approach or elevate someone else internally who’s been more consistent in high-leverage moments.
With the postseason picture already coming into focus, Aaron Boone can’t afford many ninth-inning implosions.
Every blown save risks undoing a starter’s effort and deflating momentum during a stretch where the Yankees need to stay sharp.
Williams still has time to rewrite the narrative — but time is a luxury this team can’t waste if they want to stay dominant.
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