The New York Yankees fell short of expectations once again in 2025, sending the team back to the drawing board as the offseason gets underway. With Aaron Judge continuing to lead the charge for the Yankees, it’s World Series or bust for the team every year at this point, meaning the front office is going to have some big decisions to make in the near future.
The Achilles heel of New York’s 2025 squad was its bullpen, and it’s clear general manager Brian Cashman will be exploring several different ways to upgrade this group over the next few months. First, he has to make a decision on some of the team’s current players, and that could lead to one of their top relief pitchers, Luke Weaver, leaving in free agency.
Yankees Predicted to Let Luke Weaver Hit Free Agency
Weaver was one of the success stories of the Yankees’ run to the World Series in 2024, as he emerged seemingly out of nowhere to become the team’s most trusted arm in the bullpen. In 12 games, Weaver posted a sparkling 1.76 ERA with 16 strikeouts, while also racking up four saves. Without him, New York likely wouldn’t have made it as far as it did last season.
Things didn’t go nearly as well for Weaver in 2025. On the surface, his numbers aren’t awful (4-4, 3.62 ERA, 8 SV, 72 K, 1.02 WHIP), but he struggled in the second half of the season, before being borderline unusable in the playoffs. In just three outings, Weaver recorded only one out, giving up five earned runs along the way, good for a mammoth 135.00 ERA. You don’t have to be a baseball savant to realize that isn’t very good.
Now that his contract is up, New York has to figure out what it wants to do with Weaver. He’s had success in the past, but are his recent struggles enough to deter the club from re-signing him? If you ask one team insider, he believes that at the very least, Weaver will be allowed to hit free agency, where several teams, such as the Boston Red Sox, are expected to show interest in him.
“The security breach ultimately cost Weaver his spot in Boone’s circle of trust,” Bob Klapisch wrote for NJ.com. “As the Yankees’ season teetered towards elimination against Toronto, Weaver was passed over for Camilo Doval … What does that mean for the future? Letting the right-hander test the free agency could allow for a heavy pursuit by the Red Sox, as several outlets are already speculating.”
Should the Yankees Re-Sign Luke Weaver?
Harry How/Getty ImagesLuke Weaver of the New York Yankees pitches during a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.
Weaver is one of the more intriguing free agent options heading into the offseason. At his best, he’s proven to be one of the most unhittable pitchers in the game. The problem is that Weaver’s heavy usage during the Yankees’ 2024 World Series run may have come back to bite him in 2025, which could prove to be a lingering issue in 2026 and beyond.
A hamstring injury in June disrupted Weaver’s momentum, and he never recovered when he eventually returned to the mound. Could an offseason of rest and recovery be all Weaver needs to get himself back on track? Potentially, but with a more expensive contract coming his way, the Yankees could be better off exploring other options over the next few weeks. If Weaver does hit the open market, it would seem his chances of returning to New York would take a significant hit.
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