Aaron Boone and the New York Yankees will get a much-needed reinforcement off of the injured list this weekend in Luke Weaver. However, it poses an important question for the Bronx Bombers.
Who will be the closer?
Devin Williams started the year as the closer but was quickly demoted due to poor results. Weaver took over the role until he was placed on the injured list, which pushed Williams back into the spot. Now that Weaver will be healthy, a decision must be made, but manager Aaron Boone isn’t ready to commit to one player just yet.
“We’ll see,” Boone told the New York Post when asked who will be his closer. “Let’s get through the day with Luke and then when he’s ready to come back, we’ll have that conversation.”
Weaver’s return from the injured list is contingent on his work Thursday. If everything goes well, he will be activated at some point during the weekend series against the Orioles at home.
Williams has been better in his late-inning role since returning to it. He’s given up just three runs in his last 13 1/3 innings of work while racking up five saves. His string of good performances is what will make the decision difficult for Boone.
Whether he returns to the closer role or as another back-end reliever, the Yankees manager was very complimentary of Weaver.
“I mean, it’s Luke Weaver,” Boone told the New York Post. “But just then the trickle-down effect that that has obviously on giving you more hammers at the back end of the game especially and slotting guys into better slots. Anytime you add someone like Luke, it just makes the entire thing better, on top of what he brings.”
Weaver’s return comes at the right time as the Yankees can certainly use another big arm in the bullpen to help maintain their lead in the American League East.
