NEW YORK —Yankees closer Luke Weaver was placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday and could potentially miss up to six weeks with a hamstring strain. The impact of Weaver’s injury extends beyond losing the team’s most dominant reliever; it forces a reshuffling of the Yankees’ bullpen, significantly altering the structure and responsibilities of the relief corps.
The most significant change following Luke Weaver’s injury is that Devin Williams will no longer serve as the Yankees’ closer. Williams began the season in that role but struggled mightily, posting a 9.00 ERA in March and April before being reassigned. Since moving to the eighth inning, Williams has excelled as an elite setup man for Weaver. Statistically, he has recorded a 12.10 ERA in the ninth inning compared to a 3.00 ERA in the eighth inning thus far in the 2025 season.
On Tuesday, Williams was called upon in the ninth and, while he secured the save, he surrendered a run and made it a tense finish — the second straight save opportunity in which he has allowed at least a run.
Weaver’s injury forces a bullpen reshuffle, pushing every reliever up in the pecking order. As a result, the Yankees will need to rely more heavily on pitchers such as Tim Hill, Mark Leiter Jr., Fernando Cruz, and Jonathan Loáisiga to handle the majority of high-leverage innings late in games. Any of them could be considered for closing duties if Devin Williams is unavailable.
Mark Leiter Jr. and Fernando Cruz have performed exceptionally well for the Yankees in 2025. Both were acquired via trade from National League Central teams — Leiter Jr. from the Chicago Cubs and Cruz from the Cincinnati Reds — where they had not previously excelled. However, under the guidance of Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake, both relievers have emerged as reliable late-inning options and strong candidates to receive save opportunities when Devin Williams struggles or is unavailable.
Jonathan Loáisiga returned in mid-May after missing nearly a year due to an elbow injury and has shown promise, though he is still working to regain the form he had prior to being placed on the injured list in 2024. Loáisiga previously handled save opportunities in 2022 and late 2023 when healthy and has long been viewed as a potential future closer for the Yankees. For him, the key moving forward will be keeping the ball on the ground and avoiding home runs.
Although Luke Weaver is expected to return later this summer, the uncertainty surrounding who will consistently handle the ninth inning in his absence — or even when he is available but not at full strength — has become a key area of focus for the Yankees as the trade deadline approaches in July. The team is likely to pursue a high-leverage reliever, potentially targeting a closer from a non-contending team such as Kyle Finnegan of the Nationals or Pete Fairbanks of the Rays.