Even two months ago, no one expected Luke Weaver to be the one on the mound to record the final six outs and send the New York Yankees to the World Series. The 31-year-old didn’t record his first career save until September 6, but now he leads all pitchers with four saves this postseason.

The person who replaced Weaver in the lead role, Clay Holmes, has become the man of New York. He has three holds and a 3.52 ERA in 7.2 innings in the playoffs. Together, Holmes and Weaver form the foundation of a Yankees bullpen that has the best ERA (2.56) of any team that has reached the championship series.

Advertisement

The two are also connected by their shared faith in Christ.

“First and foremost, Clay is one of the better guys I’ve been around. This guy cares a lot,” Weaver recently told MLB.com. “He has the ability to make things happen faster than most, certainly better than me. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t care, but he has the ability to keep him consistent as a person, come back the next day and he wants the ball.”

Holmes was named to the All-Star team for the second time in three years and posted a 3.14 ERA in the regular season, but also blew more saves than in the past two seasons combined. Discussing his season and switching roles with Weaver, Holmes explained last week that having an identity outside of baseball helped him remain confident in his abilities.

“My self-confidence, my identity, who I am and what I can do, is not really tied to a title that is given to me,” he said. “Obviously it’s an honor and a great thing, but knowing who I am, knowing what I’m capable of and the pitcher I can be — the person that I am — those things haven’t been taken away.”

Clay Holmes has grown up for the #yankees this postseason.
Getting back to that sinker was the key… #MLBTonight #Postseason pic.twitter.com/J5K2X46V1D

— Ryan Rowland-Smith (@hyphen18) October 17, 2024

Holmes made his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018 and posted a 5.57 ERA in parts of four seasons with the team. Just before he was traded to the Yankees, he found himself wanting to delve deeper into his faith and be a living sacrifice. Since arriving in New York, his ERA is 2.69.

“When you become that living sacrifice, with it comes a freedom that allows you to simply demonstrate the talents and unique character that God has given you – and the identity you have in Him – in a way that is much greater is than you can do in a way. yours,” he said in 2023 on the Sports Spectrum Podcast.

Weaver has also had many ups and downs in his career. He had primarily been a starter, posting ERAs over 6.00 in 2022 and ’23 while playing for a total of five different teams. This year – his first full one with the Yankees – his ERA is 2.89. Last month, Weaver joined the Sports Spectrum Podcast to talk about his remarkable turnaround and faith journey.

“I think it’s hard to live in this space where people think you can be this and still kind of fall short,” he said on the podcast. “And deep down you know you can do that, but you keep falling short.”

His difficulties on the hill led him to rely on his relationship with God.

“I’m in the middle of my battle and I’m praying hard,” Weaver recalled on the podcast. “I’m talking in 2 Corinthians 12:10 about Paul and this thorn in his side, and he’s fighting the attempts to make it about himself. And he just said, ‘Okay, you put this thorn here for a reason and you’re letting me know your power.’

In the clubhouse after the Yankees advanced to the AL Championship Series, Weaver, who wears a “Bible glove” while pitching, described himself as a “ferocious jungle cat.” The Yankees turned the interview into an Instagram post and Weaver left a comment quoting James 1:2-4, which reads:Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, when you face trials of all kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.”

“The ferocious jungle cat is just coming out,” he said. “You just feed the energy. You tell yourself to be ruthless. You must be convicted. I don’t want to mess around and sleep at night saying, ‘I didn’t give it my all. I was scared or timid. ”

He will take that mentality into the World Series as the Yankees are the AL champions for the first time since 2009. They will face the Los Angeles Dodgers with Game 1 scheduled for Friday at 8:08 PM ET.

>> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how to commit your life to Him.

RELATED STORIES:
– Yankees reliever Luke Weaver finds peace in God’s power
– SS PODCAST: Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver on connecting with God
– Clay Holmes of Yankees sees freedom as a “living sacrifice” to the Lord
– SS PODCAST: Yankees’ Clay Holmes on patience, the preacher’s child
— ‘Servant of Jesus’ Tommy Edman leads Dodgers to World Series