Yankees' Luke Weaver just cost himself more with second frightening October outing

Luke Weaver, the folk hero of the Yankees' 2024 playoff run, had visions of free agency dancing in his head a few weeks before October was set to begun. Exploring the offseason free-for-all with a stacked resumé for the first time, he told Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman that no doors would be shut. He'd even be interested in talkng to teams who viewed him as a starting pitcher, which is what he'd been prior to his turnaround last season. The rotation market is quite different from the way setup men are viewed, after all. What he really needed was to shake off his midseason hamstring injury and post a dominant October, giving interested teams a chance to dream on him once more.

Instead, he's had the most harrowing start to October possible, threatening an unbreakable record for "highest ERA in one postseason".

Weaver was called upon for the second time in four games by Aaron Boone on Saturday night in a game the Yankees trailed 2-1 in the seventh. For the second time in as many outings, he met the three-batter minimum without retiring a single hitter. His ERA sits at infinity. He is likely burning for a chance to reverse that ignominy that may never come - especially not after Camilo Doval posted two scoreless frames with the game on tenterhooks before he entered and lit a fuse.

Aaron Boone managed Game 3 against Alex Cora beautifully. He even navigated the first six innings efficiently and wisely Saturday behind Luis Gil. Bringing in Weaver must be sold as an information-gathering move, at this point. Otherwise, it's a call that will be flamed in accordance with Aaron Judge's swing decisions with the bases loaded.

Yankees' Luke Weaver just sealed his postseason fate with horrible Game 1 appearance vs. Blue Jays

At the very least - and we are talking about the very least - the Yankees learned all they needed to about Weaver's current viability by entrusting him with a one-run game. By the end of the frame, it had already become a soak-up assignment for Paul Blackburn (spoiler alert: that also went terribly).

But that's no solace for Weaver, who had the spotlight for a few more contests before becoming unglued this November. He may not be allowed off the mat for the rest of the series. His last word may already have been spoken. And it could weigh heavily on this winter's conversation at a pivot point for his career.