Yankees' offseason thievery led to their best contract of 2025

While everyone's busy focused on newfound consternation over whether or not the Yankees will pick up Anthony Rizzo's $17 million 2025 option (they won't ... right?), allow us to direct you to an option they'll definitely be enthusiastically voting "yes" on: Luke Weaver's $2.5 million club option!

If Weaver's deal for next season isn't cinched up the second the Yankees are able to, it likely means they're working out a longer-term pact. That can get iffy -- Weaver's a reliever, and any money spent before Juan Soto's contract means that it can't be used for ... Juan Soto's contract.

Still, though, Weaver was clearly the first in line when the Yankees decided to get "creative" with the ninth inning, and may yet serve as their Chad Green knockoff this postseason, a hybrid multi-inning screamer who can be deployed anywhere.

And while Wednesday's extra-innings work might've been Weaver's introduction to the nation, he's been contributing in the Bronx for quite a while, even though he has a propensity to black out while he does it.

Yankees reliever Luke Weaver is making himself essential piece of bullpen again (for 2025, too)

Something about that No. 30 jersey and memorable reliever escape jobs, huh?

Weaver is certainly fallible, from time to time. All relievers are. This is not to claim he's perfect and cannot be solved. It's just to note that, with so few developmental wins to point to this season, the Yankees found a scuffling starting pitcher at the tail end of 2023, turned him into a firebreather with a remarkably palatable two-year contract in the shadows, and might've facilitated an additional effectiveness tick up at the end of the year by converting him to de facto closer and telling him to let it rock.

76 2/3 innings and counting would have any other reliever running for the showers, but not Weaver, who was built up to 123 2/3 frames last season. The Yankees must be careful of any bit of mileage they put on his arm unnecessarily, but there will be loads of chances for Weaver down the stretch and into October, none of which should hinder him heading into next year, when he'll be a bullpen stalwart once again (as Clay Holmes departs into free agency).

Scream it from the rooftops just like Weave, Yankee fans, and give Brian Cashman and Matt Blake some credit here. They found him, tweaked him, and get to keep him.