Ryan Weber’s heartbeat sets tone for Yankees’ ‘funky bunch’ bullpen
TORONTO— After getting to know Ryan Weber over the last year and a half or so, Ron Marinaccio feels there’ s one thing that stands out about the Yankees pitcher. That appeared to be the case Thursday against the Blue Jays when Weber entered in the seventh after Nestor Cortes walked the inning’ s leadoff hitter. Only one of them, a sac fly from pinch-hitter Vladimir...
TORONTO — After getting to know Ryan Weber over the last year and a half or so, Ron Marinaccio feels there’s one thing that stands out about the Yankees pitcher.
It’s not the journeyman’s high-80s velocity. Nor is it the right-hander’s 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame. And Weber’s career numbers aren’t exactly anything to write home about, either.
But “it seems like his heartbeat never wavers at all,” Marinaccio said, “no matter what situation it is.”
That appeared to be the case Thursday against the Blue Jays when Weber entered in the seventh after Nestor Cortes walked the inning’s leadoff hitter. Pitching with a 3-1 lead, the reliever known as “Webdog” gave up a single and a walk to load the bases with nobody out. It looked as if the Yankees were doomed.
But then Weber’s luck changed, as he induced three straight fly balls for outs. Only one of them, a sac fly from pinch-hitter Vladimir Guerrero Jr., resulted in a run, and the Yankees ultimately won, 3-2.
“Thank god, not deep enough,” Weber, a sinkerballer who usually relies on grounders, said of the lofted balls.
With Clay Holmes, Wandy Peralta, Michael King and Jimmy Cordero all unavailable in relief, Weber’s heroic escape in an unfamiliar role set the tone for the Yankees’ incredibly thin bullpen after Cortes allowed two runs over six complete innings.
Albert Abreu, who entered the game with a 4.95 ERA, pitched a clean eighth while recording two strikeouts. Then Marinaccio notched his first career save by shutting the door in the ninth.
“We called that Nestor and the Funky Bunch tonight,” Aaron Boone said. “It’s one of those days where you know a lot of your big boys are down, and you just gotta find a way.”
Sometimes that means turning to an unassuming pitcher like Weber.
After registering a 0.84 ERA over 10.2 innings for the Yankees last year, the 32-year-old recorded a 5.77 ERA over seven starts at Triple-A this season before the depleted Yankees added him to their pen on May 11. Weber has eaten some innings since then, but he woke up with a 5.06 ERA on Thursday.
Yet Boone felt Weber’s ability to change speeds made him a viable choice to follow Cortes — not that the manager had many options to work with.
Aaron Judge, who homered in the win, added that Weber can still surprise people — including the reigning MVP – despite lacking a high-octane heater.
“I’ve had plenty of at-bats against Weber where it’s a tough at-bat,” Judge said. “You may look up at the velo and see only 88, 89, but the stuff’s moving.”
It’s that stuff — and some poise — that helped Weber navigate trouble on Thursday. He said he was able to control his heartbeat — like Marinaccio mentioned — by keeping in mind that he was always “one pitch away.”
“It’s just who I am, laid back,” Weber explained. “I don’t throw hard, so I kind of have the same persona as how I pitch.”
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