May 22, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Luke Weaver (30) reacts after closing the game against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Yankees World Series Closer Beginning to Unravel

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Joseph Randazzo | Last updated Sep 11, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Luke Weaver was a godsend for the New York Yankees last year. When Clay Holmes faltered, he became the de facto closer, delivering the most important outs of the season in relief en route to their first World Series appearance since 2009. That version of Weaver hasn’t shown himself lately, though. The Weaver coming out of the pen resembles the arm that was a journeyman who traveled from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Seattle Mariners to the Cincinnati Reds.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Yankees have gotten the worst Weaver since August 20th. Since then, in eight innings pitched, Weaver has surrendered seven earned runs. Weaver has also been getting hit hard during this span. He has an 11.1% barrel rate and a 48.1% hard-hit rate.

Weaver capped off his shaky run after failing to get through the ninth inning of a blowout — the second lopsided score in as many nights. Manager Aaron Boone wanted Weaver to get some work since his last appearance was during the Toronto Blue Jays series. That blew up in Boone’s face because he was hit hard against the Tigers, with the softest contact coming from Wenceel Pérez’s bat. That was a 95 MPH single thrown down the heart of the plate.

Weaver was walloped by Spencer Torkelson next. In the first pitch of the at-bat, Torkelson hit a 103.7 MPH single. Next, Riley Greene’s sacrifice fly was shot into Giancarlo Stanton’s glove like a cannon at 105.7 MPH. Another run scored, and Weaver’s night was done.

Austin Slater got the outs Weaver needed to get. The position player was the only reliever who didn’t give up a run in the blowout loss.

Boone spoke on Weaver after the game. He said he didn’t like needing to bring him in there with the score getting out of hand.

“Obviously, I never want to bring Weave into a situation like that,” Boone said. “But obviously, you get short and you have to. I was going to go to Slater, and then Wells hits the homer to make it a seven-run game. You hate going to a guy in that situation, but if you go [Fernando] Cruz, then he’s probably down [Thursday], and Weave’s had the most rest between [Devin] Williams and [David] Bednar.”

Right now, the Yankees' biggest problem is the bullpen. It’s the only thing stopping them from winning the division and potentially making a run to the World Series again. Unless a few guys step up in October, this team is looking at an early playoff exit. A reliever such as the once reliable Weaver could be the biggest culprit for this season’s failures.

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