Yankees could be priced out of Luke Weaver, who got a $21 million contract update

The New York Yankees found a diamond in the rough when they added Luke Weaver to the bullpen. Over the past two years, Weaver has been one of the better relievers in Major League Baseball, stepping up in massive ways for the Yankees when they need him most. 

Not only can Weaver close games, but he's proven that he can be an above-average setup man, doing whatever New York asks him to do. Ultimately, while he’ll have a free agency case this offseason, there's reason to believe that the Yankees could keep him around. 

With Devin Williams expected to depart, too, there's no reason not to keep Weaver around, depending on the price. 

Can Yankees Afford Luke Weaver?

According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, he'll be in a good position to get paid, but the question remains about how much he could get. 

“Weaver will be one of the best high-leverage set-up relievers on the free-agent market. He has a 2.68 ERA and 0.80 WHIP in 45 appearances. Batters are hitting .151 against his four-seamer and .140 against his changeup. He ranks in the 95th percentile in xERA and the 99th percentile in xBA,” he wrote.

Regarding what his next contract could look like, Spotrac recently predicted him to land a two-year, $21.1 million deal. Around $10.6 million AAV is more than fair for an arm of Weaver's caliber, especially if he continues to throw the baseball at the level he has.

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It's possible that Weaver wants to be a full-time closer in Major League Baseball and is looking for a bit more money than the Yankees can offer him, so that's something they'll have to factor in. 

Unless they're willing to guarantee him the closer role, which seems very unlikely with David Bednar on the roster, there could be some confusion about how things look for Weaver in New York moving forward.