With veteran closer Clay Holmes leading the league in blown saves (11) this season, it’s clear that the Yankees need to explore other options. On Friday, with a 3–0 lead over the Chicago Cubs, manager Aaron Boone made the bold decision to turn to Luke Weaver as his primary choice. Weaver delivered, striking out two batters, walking one, and pitching a scoreless inning to secure his first career save.
Weaver Does a Job for the Yankees
This was not only Weaver’s first save of the season but also the first save of his career, spanning 648.1 innings. Entering the game with a 3.33 ERA, 9.74 strikeouts per nine innings, a 78.7% left-on-base rate, and a 37.4% ground-ball rate over 73 innings, Weaver proved capable of handling the pressure.
Holmes’ Struggles and Weaver’s Potential
High-leverage moments require mental toughness, and Holmes has recently experienced lapses in confidence. Given these struggles, it’s not surprising that the Yankees are considering giving Weaver more opportunities in critical situations. Weaver has emerged as one of the team’s most reliable bullpen arms, ranking in the 94th percentile in chase rate and 89th percentile in whiff rate. His ability to generate strikeouts and induce weak contact makes him a valuable asset in high-pressure situations.
Following his first career save, Weaver was candid about the experience:
“Well, I could give you the correct answer – professional answer – or I could give you the actual answer: I couldn’t see straight. I was blacked out for the most part. I was on pure adrenaline. But it was a great time.”
A New Role for Weaver?
If Weaver can embrace and thrive in the role of a high-leverage reliever, it would be a significant boost for the Yankees as they search for consistency in the bullpen. While it’s unlikely that Holmes will be completely removed from the closer role, Boone may opt to lighten his load and spread the responsibility among other reliable arms like Weaver.
“We’ll just piece it together, best we can, ” Boone said. “The thing is, we have really good pitchers down there. We’ve just got to get them in the right spots, Clay (Holmes) included. So it was a good day.”
Holmes, despite his struggles, still hosts a respectable 3.27 ERA and possesses impressive underlying metrics. However, his sinker has been a major concern this season, allowing a .336 batting average and a .451 slugging rate. In contrast, Weaver’s four-seam fastball has been more effective, limiting opponents to a .198 batting average and a .396 slugging rate.
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Yankees Adjusting for Playoff Success
With the postseason just three weeks away, Boone’s decision to mix things up in the bullpen could prove crucial. The Yankees are looking for the right formula, and if Weaver can continue to perform in high-pressure situations, he could play a pivotal role in their playoff run.