The New York Yankees’ growing pains with the closer role surpassed all bounds when Clay Holmes blew up a season-high 11th save opportunity. Amid fans’ frustration and demands to throw Holmes out, manager Aaron Boone was busy carving out a creative bullpen plan for the rest of the season.
Notably, the Yankees front office failed to bolster the pitching depth during the trade deadline as general manager Brian Cashman trusted Clay Holmes blindly. However, after irrecoverable damage, the Yanks finally learnt their lesson and promoted an in-form relief pitcher to the role and the former thrived in his first save opportunity.
Luke Weaver Logs His Career First Save For Yankees
Clay Holmes had gotten on the nerves of the New York Yankees, and hence, manager Aaron Boone promised to get a little creative with the closer role for the remainder of the 2024 MLB season. That creative measure turned out to be relief pitcher Luke Weaver. During Friday’s series opener against the Chicago Cubs, Luis Gil pitched a six-inning scoreless start before Holmes was called in to pitch the 8th inning. With a 3-0 lead, Weaver was handed the ball to save the game. Luke Weaver, who had zero experience pitching in the ninth inning whatsoever, not only excelled in the new role but also recorded his career-first save for the Yanks. The pitcher allowed no hits, no runs and only a walk with two strikeouts to steer his team to a 3-0 win.
“I couldn’t see straight. I was blacked out for the most part. I was on pure adrenaline,” Luke Weaver reflected on his memorable moment. Weaver showcased his poise and composure, striking out two batters and inducing weak contact to seal the victory for the Yankees. His ability to handle the pressure of the moment demonstrated his versatility and potential to contribute to various roles for the team. It was a pivotal moment not only for the Yanks but also for Weaver, who has been adapting to new situations after spending much of his career as a starter. Notably, doors still aren’t being shut for Clay Holmes, as manager Aaron Boone confirmed that he is playing around with the bullpen lineup. “We’ll just piece it together, best we can. The thing is, we have really good pitchers down there,” Bonne said in the post-game interview.
Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt Returns With A Bang!
During the three-game series against Chicago Cubs, the New York Yankees activated starting pitchers Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt from IL. Both the starters delivered scoreless starts in the first two games to avail the team a series victory. Meanwhile, Nestor Cortes, who was moved to bullpen, was visibly upset.
Everyone wants to be in the starting rotation, but the supply does not meet the demand. While Nestor Cortes is expected to be inducted back into the rotation this week, Gil and Schmidt’s future remains uncertain. With days left for the postseason, the New York Yankees are definitely evaluating the right fits for playoff rotation.
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