No team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit in the Fall Classic, but it does not take much to rev up the confidence level of one of the nation’s loudest and most passionate fan bases. The Bronx is riding high after seeing Anthony Volpe hit a huge grand slam, Austin Wells turn back the calendar to June (2-for-3 with one home run) and Luke Weaver shut down the heart of the Dodgers’ lineup. Is the door now open for an MLB miracle?
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is not backing down from the should-be insurmountable task of winning four straight games against LA, and he is not the only one infatuated with the idea of shocking the sports world. Although he is being careful not to make a prediction, Weaver is relishing the opportunity to craft an unforgettable ending to the Yankees’ 2024 campaign.
“Stories have to be told,” the 31-year-old relief pitcher cleverly told the media, via ClutchPoints. “I know you guys do that for a living. I’d be willing to give you some material to write one. Sound good?” This man belongs to the Big Apple now.
Luke Weaver has been sensational for Yankees
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If the Yankees are going to do something that has only ever been done once, and against them at that, then Luke Weaver will have to remain dominant on the mound. Manager Aaron Boone brought his closer in to face Mookie Betts, who represented the tying run at the time, with two outs in the seventh inning. He struck out the two-time champion and then fanned two more batters in a clean eighth. An offensive flurry prevented him from having to go back out for the ninth, possibly keeping him just fresh enough to appear in Game 5.
The former first-round draft pick has reinvented himself in 2024, posting a 2.89 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 84 innings during the regular season. He is raising his level in the playoffs (1.93 ERA, four saves in 11 outings), proving to be the unflappable late-inning reliever the Yankees have sorely needed. Weaver cannot admire his work just yet, though. By his own admission, the right-hander has a story he would like to gift sports writers everywhere.
The problem is, though, so do the Dodgers. And theirs is not intended to pack nearly as much drama. With suspense growing ever so slightly, LA and New York will collide one more time in Yankee Stadium for Wednesday’s Game 5.
