Yankees 3, Royals 2
Q. Luke, big transition going from starting last year to now coming in closing an ALDS game. Were you expecting or can you explain how you've dealt with that transition and the big change in roles?
LUKE WEAVER: Yeah, I think there's a lot of layers to it for sure. I think one was acceptance. I think in this game things don't necessarily go the way we expect it to, we hope it to. There's some obstacles that come our way, and you've got to be able to adjust and get back up and keep going.
I think it's something I've had to fight hard for to try to find things to keep me healthy on the field, to reinvent myself in some ways. And by God's grace I'm out there and I'm in big moments that don't really make sense. I hoped to as a kid -- we all do -- I sit there and I marvel at it. I soak in the crowd, I feel calm. And next thing I know there's the third out and the game is over, and it's a blessing. It really is.
Q. What did you think of Volpe's catch?
LUKE WEAVER: I think Volpe is one of the more athletic guys I've seen. I think he walks around with some -- it's like Reebok pump shoes. He just kind of presets it, gets ready to go. That ball, that was a tough inning because they put some good things on it, and that would have been trouble right there for sure. But the athleticism shows, like our guys do, and makes a big out. And I'm able to try to get back in there.
Q. Then you guys out of the bullpen got 13 outs, but only one by strike out.
LUKE WEAVER: Yeah, I think it's not always going to be, I guess, dominant. When you're playing the same team a lot, getting a lot of the same hitters, I think hitters -- I would assume the more you see somebody, the more easier it could be in some way. You're trying to change up your approaches as a pitcher, you're trying to pitch them differently.
But there's some really good players that are all over the field, so you just sometimes cross your fingers.
Q. When Giancarlo hits that home run and you're locked in mid-game, what do you see there (indiscernible)?
LUKE WEAVER: Yeah, it really did. I was already pre kind of warming up. I had kind of a situation coming up into that next inning already. When we hit that homer, it just basically solidified it. For me, I felt like I wish I could have cheered more, but I was like in that mindset of not getting too outside of myself, don't waste energy, just be focused because your job is about to be had.
And internally I was celebrating, but it was like a flip of a switch that had already been flipped, so I was ready to go.
Q. When Witt gets on first with the tying run knowing he's fast, were you conscious of him maybe running and did you expect him to go?
LUKE WEAVER: Yeah, I expected him to run. That's the fastest guy in the Big Leagues, I believe. Bobby is a great guy, got to play with him over here for a little bit. I know what he's trying to do. When he got the single, I was like, all right, it's time to work on two sides of the ball now, especially with Salvy up. It's hard because he is such a hard matchup with his ability to hit everything all over the plate. He's hitting bad pitches, good pitches, so to kind of split the attention.
For me it was just a matter of staying calm. It was a matter of thinking, making sure that he was awkward over there, like uncomfortable, changing holds, finding ways to make him feel like he doesn't have it to go.
I think that honestly might be the biggest part for my outing in the game that kept me in my mindset, kept me kind of going and propelling, even though the hit came after. But obviously if he's on second, we're looking at something different. I was definitely happy by the way he stayed at first base, because he wanted to go, I know he did.
Q. Is that something in general that you're particularly good at is keeping guys on base?
LUKE WEAVER: Yeah, we do a lot of that stuff in Spring Training all the way through the season. I had starting experience for a lot of years, so there's a lot of people that have come on base. But at the end of the day, you just do the best you think on what they're trying to accomplish, and I think disrupting that is just the biggest key.
It's not always comfortable as a pitcher to try to go quick after a hold or try to hold really long, but you're trying to use that stuff to your advantage in order for them to just get the slightest -- to kind of not get the great jump, not to get the perfect jump, and that keeps them at first base.
Q. We've asked you about Clay's role and how you two have been involved together. How do you think the bullpen has rallied around him or reacted to the way that his season has gone?
LUKE WEAVER: Yeah, Clay is first and foremost one of the better dudes I've been around. This guy cares a lot. He has an ability to let things go quicker than most, definitely better than I do. It doesn't mean he doesn't care, but he has an ability to keep him consistent as a human being, come back the next day, and he wants the ball.
I don't think there's much of a rally in there. I think it's a situation that's out of our control. It's something that's managed in a certain way. I didn't come in asking to be switched around and stuff, but I'm here with my full self ready to give whatever is needed, and that goes from top to bottom down there. I think Clay would say the same thing. He wants to win. I want to win.
I don't want to put words in his mouth, but there's a confidence that we all believe in each other, we all know the ability is there. And at the end of the day, this guy had a good year. He really did. It's not even something we honestly even need to talk about, it's just something that happened based off of a choice, and we rallied around him, like you said. And we're just trying to get outs, and he's doing that right now.
Q. Now that you're a closer for a whole month or so, what do you make of the position? If you look around these playoffs, we've already seen Devon Williams, Clase, Hader, some of the big names have a tough night and it cost their team. Do you watch those other guys now, now that you're a closer?
LUKE WEAVER: I think the biggest thing, and I don't know if it helps me, I feel like it does -- that's not the way I view myself. I don't think I'm a closer. I think I'm a guy who is doing that situation, but I feel like at any point can be put in a situation to try to get some outs, some more outs.
I know it's kind of silly. I've had a few saves now here and at the back end of the year, but I think I'm just a man on a mission. I'm determined, I'm focused, and I think that even-keeled mindset keeps me calm out there. It's a pretty big situation. I watched a lot of this stuff on TV for a while. I had no postseason experience. This is all first time for me, new stuff. It doesn't feel any different because I'm trying not to let it be different. I'm trying not to let the big moment, first and third at an opposing ballpark in the ninth inning change me.
I'm trying to be like, what do I want to do next, how do I want to go about the next pitch, the next hitter, does it make sense to do this and that. I'm trying to make sure that I'm as calm and I don't want to give away anything to the opposing team as if they think they got me. I want to be out there almost with a smile, like this opportunity is something that I want to own and I want to enjoy more than anything.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports