The New York Yankees are leaning into a simple philosophy — shorten the game, and let the bullpen slam the door shut.
On Friday afternoon, the Yankees officially activated right-hander Luke Weaver, reuniting him with Devin Williams to anchor their late-inning relief core.
This is the duo New York envisioned dominating October — and both pitchers are more than capable of perfoming at a high level.
Williams is rounding into elite form again
Devin Williams had a rocky start to the year, but the numbers tell a different story heading into late June.
Across 27.1 innings this season, Williams owns a 5.27 ERA — but that number hides recent progress.
In June alone, Williams holds a sharp 1.35 ERA with 10 strikeouts and just three hits allowed in 6.2 innings.
He’s regaining command of the zone and overwhelming hitters with his signature changeup and four-seam deception.
Underlying metrics back it up — Williams ranks in the 96th percentile in whiff rate and 89th in strikeout rate leaguewide.
That changeup has become a cheat code again, producing uncomfortable swings and consistently keeping hitters off balance.
Weaver returns with elite numbers intact
Before going down with injury, Luke Weaver was arguably the Yankees’ most consistent bullpen weapon.
In 25.2 innings, Weaver posted a 1.05 ERA and struck out 24 batters while limiting base runners all season.
He allowed a microscopic .183 expected batting average, placing him in the 99th percentile in that category.
Hitters chased his pitches at a 32.7% rate, struggling mightily against both his fastball and devastating changeup.
Opponents hit just .151 against Weaver’s fastball and a staggering .071 against his change — nearly unhittable territory.
The Yankees didn’t just get a setup man back — they added an ace-level reliever with postseason experience.
Closing duties may stay with Williams
Even with Weaver back, it’s likely Devin Williams keeps the closer role while Weaver resumes setup responsibilities.
Williams has looked dominant lately, finishing off wins with a level of confidence he hadn’t shown earlier this season.
That confidence allows Aaron Boone to manage matchups, pairing Weaver’s control with Williams’ high strikeout ability.
Opposing teams now face a bullpen where even small deficits feel insurmountable in the eighth and ninth innings.
It’s like being down in a poker hand — you might have some chips, but the cards just won’t fall your way.
This combo could define the Yankees’ postseason
Few teams have the luxury of two relievers with sub-2.00 potential and a wide arsenal of swing-and-miss stuff.
The Yankees do — and both Luke Weaver and Devin Williams are trending upward at just the right time.
With the return of Weaver, New York can now lean on its 1-2 bullpen punch to help lock down close games.
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