Luke Weaver

Luke Weaver

31-Year-Old PitcherRP
New York Yankees
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Weaver has seen action with five teams across the past two seasons, working mostly as a reliever in 2022 and a starter in 2023. The right-hander struggled in both campaigns with a combined 6.44 ERA in 55 appearances (26 starts), though he was still able to land a one-year, $2 million contract with the Yankees for 2024. Weaver is unlikely to make the Opening Day rotation if everyone remains healthy, but he'll likely be called upon for some starts at some point. He could have some streaming value if he excels as a swingman, but his inconsistent track record doesn't offer much fantasy upside. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season From Preseason
#130
ADP
$Signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Yankees in January of 2024. Contract includes $2.5 million team option for 2025. Club option exercised in November of 2024.
Club option picked up
PNew York Yankees
November 1, 2024
The Yankees exercised Weaver's $2.5 million club option for 2025 on Friday.
ANALYSIS
In his first full season with the Yankees, Weaver turned in a 2.89 ERA and 0.93 WHIP across 84 innings -- a stark contrast from the 5.85 ERA and 1.51 WHIP he had accumulated over the previous four years. There's a chance he begins 2025 as New York's closer after moving into the role toward the end of the season.
Read More News
Pitching Stats
Loading Pitching Stats...
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2024 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2023 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2022 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2021 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2020 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2019 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2018 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2017 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
Minor League Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Loading Minor League Pitching Game Log...
Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
21
Last 10 Games
19
Last 5 Games
19
How many pitches does Luke Weaver generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Luke Weaver generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-8%
BAA vs LHP
2024
 
 
-14%
BAA vs LHP
2023
 
 
-12%
BAA vs LHP
2022
 
 
-11%
BAA vs RHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .256 513 118 48 116 24 3 16
Since 2022vs Right .279 555 132 31 143 40 4 24
2024vs Left .162 162 53 16 23 3 1 3
2024vs Right .188 169 50 10 29 6 3 7
2023vs Left .281 270 49 25 68 16 2 13
2023vs Right .319 293 60 15 87 24 1 16
2022vs Left .357 81 16 7 25 5 0 0
2022vs Right .318 93 22 6 27 10 0 1
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-16%
ERA on Road
2024
 
 
-25%
ERA at Home
2023
 
 
-10%
ERA on Road
2022
 
 
-73%
ERA on Road
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 5.71 1.33 108.2 6 3 1 9.6 2.4 1.7
Since 2022Away 4.81 1.44 134.2 5 7 3 9.0 3.3 1.3
2024Home 2.49 0.81 43.1 4 1 1 11.8 2.5 1.0
2024Away 3.32 1.06 40.2 3 2 3 10.2 3.1 1.1
2023Home 6.79 1.53 50.1 2 1 0 7.7 2.0 2.5
2023Away 6.14 1.61 73.1 1 5 0 8.1 3.6 1.8
2022Home 11.40 2.13 15.0 0 1 0 9.6 3.6 0.6
2022Away 3.05 1.60 20.2 1 0 0 9.6 3.0 0.0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Luke Weaver compare to other relievers?
This section compares his stats with all relief pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 30 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 30 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
3.96
 
K/9
11.0
 
BB/9
2.8
 
HR/9
1.1
 
Fastball
95.7 mph
 
ERA
2.89
 
WHIP
0.93
 
BABIP
.239
 
GB/FB
0.88
 
Left On Base
78.1%
 
Exit Velocity
80.2 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
4.4%
 
Spin Rate
2342 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
18.7%
 
Swinging Strike
15.9%
 
Advanced Pitching Stats
Loading Advanced Pitching Stats...
Defensive Stats
Loading MLB Defensive Stats...
Stats Vs Today's Lineup
Want more matchup stats?
Loading Matchup Stats...
Our full team depth charts are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.
Subscribe Now
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Luke Weaver See More
MLB ALCS Game 2 Best Bets: Expert MLB Picks & Props for Tuesday, October 15
24 days ago
Adam Warner shares his expert MLB picks and props for Game 2 of the ALCS between the Yankees and the Guardians, including his favorite Tanner Bibee prop.
The Z Files: NFBC Postseason Hold'em Contest
35 days ago
The NFBC's Postseason Hold'em contest kicks off at the start of the Division Series, and its scoring system leads to some unusual rankings.
Super Early 2025 Top 300 Rankings
36 days ago
James Anderson ranks the top 300 players for 2025 fantasy baseball leagues, in which Brewers' phenom Jackson Chourio is pushing towards the first round!
The Z Files: Generic MLB Playoff Ranks by Position
39 days ago
Todd Zola provides some player rankings ahead of the playoffs, as Mookie Betts and the Dodgers take MLB's best record into the postseason.
AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week
61 days ago
Erik Siegrist looks over the available talent in the American League as Luke Weaver gets a chance to grab hold of the closer role for the Yankees.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
Weaver transitioned to a relief role for much of 2022, but his performance continued to underwhelm. Over 35.2 innings between Arizona and Kansas City, the right-hander posted a 6.56 ERA and a career-worst 1.82 WHIP. Even the pitching desperate Royals couldn't tolerate that, waiving Weaver in October. The Mariners claimed him but declined to tender him a contract for 2023, so he is a free agent this offseason. He's three years removed from a viable season in any role, and it's very possible he has to settle for a minor-league deal or a contract overseas to continue his career. On the bright side, his 2.56 FIP from last season suggests he was cosmically unlucky, though it also came in a relatively small sample compared to previous years.
Weaver was one of the worst starters in baseball during the shortened 2020 campaign with a 1-9 record and 6.58 ERA, but he rebounded last season to post a respectable 4.25 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 62:20 K:BB over 65.2 innings. The 28-year-old missed over three months with a rotator cuff injury but returned for the final month of the season and pitched well down the stretch. Weaver should work at the back end of Arizona's rotation and could be a streaming option in deeper leagues if he can continue the upward trend from 2021.
Weaver was the only pitcher in MLB tagged with nine losses despite making only 12 starts during the shortened season, and the rest of his numbers (6.58 ERA and 1.56 WHIP) also weren't pretty. It's quite the contrast to 2019, when the right-hander dazzled with a 2.94 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 12 starts before going down with injury. His flyball rate increased more than 10 percentage points to 48.4%, while his HR/9 more than doubled to 1.74. However, the 4.66 FIP indicates he also didn't receive much help from his defense. Weaver remains a strong bet to retain a rotation spot to begin 2021, and he's a reasonable buy-low candidate following the rough campaign considering his workable strikeout and walk rates (23.3% and 7.6%, respectively).
Weaver was pitching extremely well in 2019 before he went down in late May with forearm tightness, which held him out for all but two innings the rest of the season. Weaver emphasized his cutter in 2019 to give him a more effective third pitch, and saw a resurgence in his strikeout rate and a stat line that looked a lot closer to his 2017 promise than his 2018 disappointment. Those worried about the forearm issue should take solace in watching what Tyler Glasnow did last year. Both pitchers were shut down with similar issues, yet Glasnow came back late in the season and was throwing darts in the postseason as if he hadn't missed a beat. Weaver's lack of work after the injury may hold down his cost on draft day, and where you take him should depend on your appetite for risks. The move to Arizona was a good one for him, and he was taking a positive step forward before the injury.
Drafted just outside the top 100 last spring, Weaver was one of 2018's bigger disappointments, as he ended the season in a mop-up role. It's probably too early to completely write off the 25-year-old right-hander, who was sent to Arizona as the headliner in the Paul Goldschmidt trade. Weaver's first-pitch strike rate along with his swinging-strike rate were virtually the same as the previous season. However, in 2017 Weaver posted a 28.6% strikeout rate, compared to a 19.9% mark last season, perhaps because the book was out on his shallow repertoire. Whiffs aside, Weaver's control and command slid last season, as he walked more while allowing more homers. He still lacks a quality third pitch (opposing batters slugged .589 against his curveball), and his top two pitches (fastball, changeup) were not as dominant as they needed to be for him to have sustainable success. His upside is limited to a low-innings mid-rotation starter until that pitch mix improves.
Say what you will about a "soft" schedule for Weaver; he was excellent in 2017. The right-hander posted a 2.05 ERA over his first 11 starts, and while a couple of poor performances at the end of the year inflated his overall numbers, Weaver finished with a 3.17 FIP and 2.93 xFIP over 60.1 innings at the big-league level. He averaged 10.7 K/9 and just 2.5 BB/9 -- he had the 28th-best K-BB percentage among 274 pitchers with at least 60 innings. Weaver did well to keep the ball on the ground (49.4 percent GB%) and limit hard contact, resulting in a .287 xwOBA. He is still primarily a fastball-changeup pitcher, but the changeup is a dominant pitch, and his curveball is coming along. The only real concern with Weaver is his workload. He totaled just 138 innings between the majors and minors last year, his highest total as a professional, after throwing 119.1 combined frames in 2016.
Weaver got his first taste of the majors at the latter end of the 2016 season. He pieced together a few rough outings and ended the year with a 5.70 ERA and 1.60 WHIP that was built over nine games (36.1 innings). Lefties were particularly tough for Weaver and they went 23-for-69 (.377) against the 23-year-old. Fortunately for the club, he showed signs of promise and produced a 27 percent strikeout rate in that time. Weaver has shown he's a capable starter in the minors, as he dominated his 12 starts at Double-A Springfield in 2016. Heading into 2017, the Cardinals may have Weaver compete for a spot at the back of their rotation, or could opt to use him from the bullpen as they did at the end of 2016. However, the most likely course of action will be to send him to Triple-A Memphis, where he's only appeared in one game to this point, to keep developing his breaking pitches until he's deemed MLB-ready.
Weaver appears to be a third pitch away from being a No. 3 starter, thanks to a low-90s fastball and a filthy changeup that will work as an out pitch at the highest level. That combination was enough for him to breeze through the pitcher-friendly Florida State League with a 1.62 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 88 strikeouts in 105.1 innings. Those numbers rightfully put him squarely on the radar of dynasty league owners, but most reports suggest his curveball lags way behind the rest of his arsenal. Without that third pitch, there is not much to see here, so Weaver should still be seen as a work in progress. Fortunately he is in a competent organization, and at least two years away from the big leagues, so it is OK that he is not a finished product. He will head to Double-A Springfield in 2016, where it should become fairly obvious if he has improved his breaking ball.
The 27th overall selection out of Florida State in the 2014 amateur draft, Weaver is expected to work his way through the Cardinals' system rather quickly and could be competing for a roster spot as soon as 2016. Weaver was only able to log 9.1 professional innings with the club's rookie and High-A affiliates, getting six starts and striking out 12. Expect Weaver to start 2015 in either Low-A or High-A for the Cardinals, possibly finishing the season in Double-A if he pitches well. Weaver has drawn praise as one of the lowest risk pitchers drafted. Fantasy owners still shouldn't expect anything on the MLB level until 2016, with 2017 being the most likely scenario.
More Fantasy News
Gets tough blown save
PNew York Yankees
October 31, 2024
Weaver was saddled with a blown save Wednesday against the Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series, letting two inherited runners score while permitting one hit and one walk over 1.1 frames.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Gets five outs for save
PNew York Yankees
September 22, 2024
Weaver struck out three over 1.2 perfect innings to earn the save in Sunday's 7-4 win over the Athletics.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Grabs third save
PNew York Yankees
September 20, 2024
Weaver allowed an unearned run on one hit and struck out three over one inning to earn the save in Friday's 4-2 extra-inning win over the Athletics.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Not anointed closer just yet
PNew York Yankees
September 19, 2024
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Thursday that while Weaver could close out "a lot" of games, the skipper stopped short of naming the right-hander his closer, Erik Boland of Newsday reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Snags sixth win
PNew York Yankees
September 19, 2024
Weaver (6-3) picked up the win in an extra-inning battle against the Mariners on Wednesday, allowing one walk over 1.2 scoreless innings while striking out four.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Latest Fantasy Rumors
Option for spot start?
PNew York Yankees
May 30, 2024
Weaver could be a candidate to step into the Yankees' starting rotation after Clarke Schmidt was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a right lat strain.
ANALYSIS
Weaver has worked as a starter for most of his MLB career but has been effective as a reliever this season with a 2.91 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 38:7 K:BB over 34 innings. The veteran right-hander has covered more than one frame in all but three of his 20 appearances this year and has topped out at 51 pitches, so he's likely stretched out enough to cover at least a few innings. However, New York may be hesitant to tweak Weaver's role given his strong start to the campaign.
See All MLB Rumors