Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees Considered 'Slam Dunk' to Pick Up Surging Reliever's Contract Option

The New York Yankees have a seemingly easy decision to make about Luke Weaver's future.

Grant Young

Oct 14, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver (30) celebrates after getting the last of game one of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Oct 14, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver (30) celebrates after getting the last of game one of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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New York Yankees reliever Luke Weaver has been a godsend for this team over the past six weeks.

Not only did Weaver produce a 3-0 record with a 0.00 ERA, 24 strikeouts, and 4 saves in 8 regular season appearances after taking over Clay Holmes' job as closer on September 6, but he has continued that string of success in the postseason with a 1.29 ERA, 9 strikeouts, and 4 saves in 7 postseason innings.

The Yankees might not have made it to the ALCS without Weaver. This is a large part of why Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly claimed in an October 17 article that the Yankees' decision to pick up Weaver's $2.5 million team option for 2025 will be an easy one.

"This is a slam dunk for general manager Brian Cashman, as Weaver has become one of the most reliable relievers in baseball in his age-30 season," Kelly wrote.

"Across 62 games this season for the Yankees, he posted a 2.89 ERA with a 0.929 WHIP. When Clay Holmes hit a wall late in the season, Weaver seized the closer's job. He recorded four saves in four attempts in September and has four saves so far this postseason.

"Whether the Yankees envision him as their Opening Day closer or a setup man, $2.5 million is a bargain. It won't take more than 10 seconds for the Yankees to pick up his option," he added.

It remains to be seen whether the Yankees will try to sign another closer this offseason. Regardless, Weaver figures to be a vital piece of their future bullpens.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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