The New York Yankees looked to Triple-A Scranton on Wednesday for bullpen reinforcements as they continue on a lengthy 20-game stretch. The Bombers have one more game against the Oakland Athletics, a single matchup against Houston, and three games against the Cleveland Guardians before a day off on July 4.
The All-Star break can’t come soon enough for the Yanks, who could use a week to rest up and process the success they had during the first half of the season. However, calling on a few reserve pitchers has been a frequent occurrence for manager Aaron Boone trying to mitigate fatigue.
Last week, 31-year-old Ryan Weber decided to test free agency instead of accepting an assignment to Triple-A after making his first appearance of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 16.
After spending a few days testing the market, Weber decided to sign a new contract with the Yankees, and he was pulled up on Wednesday to help supplement bullpen fatigue.
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Per the Yankees:
Prior to today’s game, the Yankees signed RHP Ryan Weber (#85) to a Major League contract and selected him to the 26-man roster from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
In Weber’s lone outing this season, he went 3.2 innings, giving up two hits and one earned run, which was a homer. He has spent the last few seasons with several different squads, including Atlanta, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Boston, Milwaukee, and now the Yankees.
Weber‘s best season came back in 2020 with Boston, recording a 4.40 ERA over 43 innings of action. He posted a 76.3% left on base rate and 52.2% ground ball rate. His ability to generate ground balls is exactly what the Yankees are looking for in the Bronx, but he’s had some issues giving up homers in the past.
Weber throws a fastball, slider, curveball, and change-up. Against Tampa Bay, he primarily leaned on his sinker and slider, two pitches that Matt Blake focuses on in the bullpen. Featuring incredible movements on his pitches, Weber is good for a rotation through the batting order before hitters begin to pick up on his tendencies.