Cincinnati Reds fans are confused as they watch the Yankees extract top performances from their former backup Luke Weaver. A veteran who has proven himself in Major League Baseball, Weaver began his career with the St. Louis Cardinals before moving on to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds and Seattle Mariners, finally finding a home in late 2023 found with the Yankees.

The Yankees see potential in Weaver

Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake saw untapped potential in Weaver and convinced the front office to sign him to a one-year, $2 million contract with a club option through 2025. The move, which was considered a low-risk venture at the time, has proven to be a brilliant decision. Weaver has quickly become one of the Yankees' most reliable and consistent bullpen arms, delivering clutch performances when it matters most.

During the regular season, Weaver put up impressive numbers. Across 84 innings, he maintained a 2.89 ERA, a strikeouts per nine rate of 11.04, a left-on-base rate of 79.4% and a groundball rate of 36.4% . These stats show how effective he was despite not relying on an extensive arsenal of throws.

Weaver's simple but effective pitching arsenal

What makes Weaver's resurgence even more intriguing is its relatively simple approach. He relies primarily on just two pitches: a four-seam fastball and a changeup. His four-seater has become a standout, featuring an upward motion that makes it difficult for batters to make throws outside the strike zone. Despite his simplicity, the movement and speed of his fastball have made him one of the Yankees' most effective pitches.

In the American League Division Series (ALDS) against the Kansas City Royals, Weaver was nothing short of spectacular. He appeared in all four games, striking out five batters and allowing just two hits in 4.1 scoreless innings. His ability to step up in crucial moments helped demoralize the Royals' offense and allowed the Yankees to easily advance to the next round.

Turn up the heat

One of the keys to Weaver's success in the postseason was his ability to add velocity to his fastball. During the regular season, Weaver averaged 96.9 miles per hour with his fastball, but in the playoffs he was able to increase the velocity by almost a mile per hour, breathing even more life into his pitches.

For example, after manager Aaron Boone threw 1.2 innings and 20 pitches on October 9, he asked Weaver to step in the very next day and end the road series. In that high-pressure moment, Weaver delivered, throwing a clean inning and striking out two batters, giving the Yankees the series win and earning his third save of the postseason.

Weaver's unique pitch mix

Weaver's pitching repertoire is simple but effective. He throws his fastball 48.5% of the time and mixes in his changeup 27.7% of the time. He occasionally uses a cutter as a strikeout pitch to add variety to his arsenal. In his last appearance, Weaver threw nine pitches – five fastballs and four change-ups – and kept batters off balance with his accuracy and speed.

Weaver's fastball averaged 96.9 mph in his last outing, which is a full mile per hour faster than his regular-season average. This added speed, combined with the movement on his pitches, has made him nearly untouchable in high-leverage situations.

The future for Luke Weaver and the Yankees

The Yankees' ability to get this performance out of Weaver was nothing short of amazing. With Clay Holmes in the final year of his contract and likely headed to free agency, the Yankees view Weaver as their potential partner for the future. Weaver has accepted the challenge and shows that he is more than ready to take on the role.

His outstanding postseason performances have made him a key player in the Yankees' bullpen, and if he continues at this level, he could very well be the team's contender for years to come. As the Yankees head toward a possible World Series appearance, Weaver's steady hand in the bullpen could be the difference they need.