Yankees Closer Luke Weaver Faces Heavy ALCS Workload

Luke Weaver, the New York Yankees‘ closer, returned to Cleveland’s Progressive Field on Friday facing significant scrutiny following his performances in the American League Championship Series (ALCS). Weaver, who had been instrumental in all seven of the Yankees’ playoff games entering Game 4, confronted challenges after two notable late-game runs allowed to the Cleveland Guardians.

Recently promoted to the closer position, Weaver experienced a pivotal moment when Jhonkensy Noel hit a game-tying home run off him during one of the series’ critical matches. “It’s tough because you feel like you got a lot of momentum out there, especially me, and then you kind of hit this,” Weaver expressed regarding the setback. “It’s something I’m not used to, but it’s something I’ll definitely bounce back from.”

The home run marked the second consecutive game where Weaver allowed a homer, following a solo shot by Jose Ramirez, raising concerns about whether the postseason workload was taking a toll. Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone emphasized the postseason demands, stating, “I thought overall he was pretty sharp. Credit to them for getting into a pitch. Yeah, it’s that time of year. You try and preserve as many bullets as you can.”

In the postseason challenges, Weaver had been asked to exceed the typical closer’s workload, pitching more than one inning in four of the playoff games. Weaver, reflecting on this, declined to comment directly on whether fatigue was a factor but emphasized, “It’s playoff baseball, adrenaline is high. So when you’re on the mound, you’re only feeling about executing and getting things done.”

Ahead of a crucial game against the Guardians, Weaver expressed frustration over missing an opportunity to retire Lane Thomas after leading 0-2 in the count, a sequence leading to Noel’s critical hit. The Yankees’ offense, struggling to deliver consistently in the postseason, also prompted additional usage of Weaver and fellow reliever Clay Holmes, as Boone sought to seal close games effectively.

As the series progresses, there is a strategic necessity to manage Weaver’s workload carefully to prevent fatigue, with the potential to utilize alternative relievers for final innings. “The workload and everything, it is what it is,” Weaver remarked, underscoring the perseverance needed in baseball’s most intense moments.