Yankees Luke Weaver implodes in ugly return off injured list

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.This was hardly the return Luke Weaver or the Yankees were hoping for. With Weaver healthy and Devin Williams pitching as well as he has since becoming a Yankee, the team was confident the back end of the bullpen was in a good spot. But Weaver allowed a pair of runs in the top of the eighth in a 5-3 loss to Baltimore as Aaron Boone and the Yankees try to determine how best to use the two right-handed relievers. Before the loss, Boone said he planned to use both, although he highlighted Weaver’s versatility. Weaver was activated from the IL on Friday after being sidelined for nearly three weeks with a left hamstring strain and allowed a leadoff, go-ahead homer to Ramón Urías in the top of the eighth and didn’t survive the inning. “I threw a solid pitch, and he had a pretty good swing,” Weaver said.

“I was pretty devastated to see it go over.It’s not the start I was looking forward to.

I felt I let the team down in the moment.” Weaver added he had trouble controlling his changeup, as well as putting hitters away with two strikes. Prior to Weaver’s disappointing return to the mound, Boone said Weaver and Williams would each be asked to close games. The manager added Weaver would be asked to pitch more than one inning at times, as well as occasionally in a “fireman” role earlier in the game, if needed. The Yankees liked Weaver in that role when he emerged in The Bronx last season before Clay Holmes’ difficulties in the closer role forced them to put Weaver there, where he excelled. Again in the early part of this season, when Williams faltered badly after arriving in a trade from Milwaukee in the offseason, Weaver was shifted back to the closer role. Williams began to pitch better setting up Weaver and has thrived of late closing in Weaver’s absence. Boone said Williams’ improvement began ...