The New York Yankees are riding high and are getting even closer to getting to full strength.
Luke Weaver threw a bullpen session, then told Erik Boland of Newsday it came out “great” before New York capped a sweep of the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.
The Yankees have won seven of their past 10 games, lead the American League East by four-and-a-half games over the Toronto Blue Jays and mere percentage points behind the Detroit Tigers for the best record in the AL.
New York has achieved that lofty status despite not having slugger Giancarlo Stanton, and its closer, Weaver since May 31 due to a hamstring strain. But both seem very close to returning.
When Will Luke Weaver Return To The Yankees?
Weaver last pitched at Dodger Stadium on May 31 and was scratched from his potential appearance in the Yankees’ series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers due to a hamstring injury. His initial diagnosis was a hamstring strain, and ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported he could miss four-to-six weeks.
Weaver was placed on the injured list June 3 which meant he could have been out until after the All-Star break. But he reportedly received a platelet-rich plasma injection last week and resumed throwing. His bullpen Wednesday was the second he has thrown since going on the IL.
Not only has Weaver been a revelation since joining the Yankees in 2024, but he has been one of their most important pitchers this season too.
Weaver is 1-1 with a 1.05 ERA and eight saves in 24 games this season and steadied New York’s rocky bullpen during off-season acquisition Devin Williams’ early-season struggles. But Williams has bounced back with Weaver on the shelf, allowing just one earned run in 4 2/3 innings and picking up four saves since June 1.
Weaver opened the season as the eighth-inning reliever but slid right into the closer spot — which he also occupied during the 2024 playoffs — and dominated by allowing just three earned runs in 25 2/3 innings.
How Close Are The Yankees To Full Strength?
Weaver’s progress is incredible for Yankees fans, especially since the team is 7-3 without him, and New York’s bullpen has been in flux since he went down.
But consider also that Stanton is likely to return this weekend from tendinitis in both elbows — he has not played for the Yankees this year — and starter Marcus Stroman also threw a rehab start in Double-A Somerset this week, and New York is as close to full health as it has been all season.
Stroman, who went on the IL on April 12 with knee inflammation, threw 46 pitches and struck out four while allowing just one earned run in 3 1/3 innings against Portland on Wednesday. Barring any setbacks, Stroman is likely to throw just one more rehab start before returning to the big club in either late June or July.
“It felt good, man, just to be at a point where it’s just free and easy, not really thinking about my knee or body or mechanics or anything,â Stroman told MLB.com. âYeah, it just felt really good to be back.â
Weaver is likely to be the last of the three to return to the major-league club, and of course injuries can happen at any time. But with the third-best record in baseball, and three more star-caliber players on the way, things are looking up in the Bronx.
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