As Luke Weaver stood at his locker in early September, he expressed a want to stay a Yankee.
Initially acquired off the waiver wire on the finish of the 2023 season, Weaver turned a small pattern right into a fruitful audition and signed an affordable contract that stored him in New York over the following two years as the previous first-round choose transitioned from a failed starter to a high-leverage reliever. His profession reworked, Weaver mentioned he’d like to stay with the membership that helped make it occur.
That was earlier than Weaver’s 2025 marketing campaign ended on some disastrous notes, as he allowed 10 earned runs over 9.1 innings in September. Three extra postseason appearances noticed Weaver whole only one out whereas allowing 5 runs. He additionally shared his frustrations over his incapability to regulate — mentally and bodily — after the Yankees approached him with some pitch-tipping issues forward of the playoffs.
“You don’t need more things stacking up on your plate,” Weaver mentioned, hinting at some info overload throughout a 7.5-minute scrum after Recreation 1 of the ALDS.
Weaver’s 2025 points weren’t restricted to September and October, although.
Among the finest relievers in baseball final yr, the righty recorded a 2.89 ERA over 84 innings and finally changed Clay Holmes because the Yankees’ nearer down the stretch and within the playoffs. Weaver gave the impression to be on an identical observe this season, as he posted a 1.05 ERA and changed Devin Williams within the nearer’s position over his first 24 video games.
Then got here a hamstring pressure on the very finish of Could. Weaver merely wasn’t the identical pitcher after coming back from the harm prior to anticipated in mid-June, logging a 6.60 ERA over his subsequent 15 video games.
Whereas Weaver did have a powerful August — he totaled two earned runs over 14.2 innings — the Yankees quietly began utilizing him in opposition to the underside of opposing lineups when potential.
Weaver additionally wasn’t the multi-inning weapon he was in 2024, when he tallied 31 appearances that lasted greater than three outs and 13 appearances by which he accomplished a minimum of two innings. He had simply 16 outings that exceeded one body in 2025. Solely two of these went two full innings.
Weaver mentioned that neither his hamstring pressure nor fatigue impacted his utilization or efficiency, and the Yankees routinely attributed his struggles to poor command and execution, slightly than missing stuff, previous to his pitch-tipping feedback.
The query now could be what’s subsequent for Weaver. The identical goes for a Yankees bullpen that has a number of free brokers after the unit struggled all through the season.
Weaver, who’s repped by Casey Shut, pitched on a team-friendly membership choice this previous season after he and his agent briefly talked to the Yankees about an extension final offseason. Nevertheless, the crew was fixated on Juan Soto’s free company and its contingency plans for the slugger’s eventual departure.
“There were some big priorities in that situation, and so it just became a back-burner thing,” Weaver mentioned in September. “And then from there, it became something that I just didn’t really care to talk about [as I] focused on the season. There was some light discussion, but nothing really came of it.”
Weaver added that he hopes there are nonetheless “good discussions to be had” with the Yankees, as he’s loved his time within the Bronx. Nevertheless, he additionally mentioned that he’s “open” to beginning once more, as former teammates like Holmes and Michael King have efficiently made the change from reduction to rotation just lately.
They did so with much less rotation expertise than Weaver, who has a 5.05 ERA over 106 begins in his profession.
“All I’ll say is that I’m an opportunist,” Weaver mentioned. “If that’s where the wind blows, then we’ll drift with it and see where it takes us.”
Whereas Weaver mentioned he’s “found a home” within the bullpen, he went on to say that he feels “well-equipped” to start out due to his background and what he’s realized about pitching whereas a Yankee.
“We’ll just leave that as the door’s cracked,” Weaver concluded.
Nevertheless, pursuit of a beginning alternative would certainly slam the door shut on no matter remaining likelihood Weaver has of staying with the Yankees.
The crew’s rotation already options Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Luis Gil, whereas Carlos Rodón, Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt are anticipated again from accidents at numerous factors subsequent season. Warren and Gil might finally assist the Yankees fill a few of their bullpen openings with Weaver, Williams and others hitting the open market. Prospects comparable to Carlos Lagrange and Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz might additionally think about one way or the other.
Irrespective of his position, Weaver might not have a spot with the Yankees after reviving his profession with them. In that case, he’ll depart with appreciation for his time in pinstripes.
“It feels a bit like a rejuvenation,” Weaver mentioned. “If I by no means got here again right here, it could at all times maintain a giant place in my coronary heart.
“It’s just been incredible, and I’ll forever be indebted to the memories that came here.”
