Luke Weaver

Luke Weaver

29-Year-Old PitcherSP
Cincinnati Reds
2023 Fantasy Outlook
Weaver transitioned to a relief role for much of 2022, but his performance continued to underwhelm. Over 35.2 innings between Arizona and Kansas City, the right-hander posted a 6.56 ERA and a career-worst 1.82 WHIP. Even the pitching desperate Royals couldn't tolerate that, waiving Weaver in October. The Mariners claimed him but declined to tender him a contract for 2023, so he is a free agent this offseason. He's three years removed from a viable season in any role, and it's very possible he has to settle for a minor-league deal or a contract overseas to continue his career. On the bright side, his 2.56 FIP from last season suggests he was cosmically unlucky, though it also came in a relatively small sample compared to previous years. Read Past Outlooks
RANKSFrom Preseason
#600
ADP
$Signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Reds in January of 2023.
Allows seven runs in short start
PCincinnati Reds
June 7, 2023
Weaver allowed seven runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four over 3.2 innings Tuesday against the Dodgers. He did not factor into the decision.
ANALYSIS
Weaver allowed a season-high seven runs in his shortest start to date this year. The Dodgers quickly piled on three runs in the opening frame and added another five runs in the fourth, four of which were charged to Weaver. After J.D. Martinez took him deep Tuesday night, Weaver has allowed 12 home runs in nine starts, which is tied for fifth most among all qualified pitchers. The 29-year-old now sports a 6.27 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 46:11 K:BB across 47.1 innings and tentatively lines up for a start next week on the road against the Royals.
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Pitching Stats
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2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2023 MLB Game Log
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2022 MLB Game Log
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2021 MLB Game Log
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2020 MLB Game Log
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2019 MLB Game Log
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2018 MLB Game Log
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
89
Last 10 Games
89
Last 5 Games
90
How many pitches does Luke Weaver generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Luke Weaver generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2021
Even Split
2023
 
 
-22%
BAA vs LHP
2022
 
 
-11%
BAA vs RHP
2021
 
 
-9%
BAA vs RHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2021vs Left .278 288 49 24 72 18 2 11
Since 2021vs Right .279 367 97 20 94 26 4 13
2023vs Left .253 94 16 7 22 6 0 5
2023vs Right .324 112 30 4 34 9 0 7
2022vs Left .357 81 16 7 25 5 0 0
2022vs Right .318 93 22 6 27 10 0 1
2021vs Left .245 113 17 10 25 7 2 6
2021vs Right .224 162 45 10 33 7 4 5
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2021
 
 
-7%
ERA on Road
2023
 
 
-30%
ERA on Road
2022
 
 
-73%
ERA on Road
2021
 
 
-67%
ERA at Home
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2021Home 5.63 1.28 80.0 4 3 0 8.4 2.4 1.5
Since 2021Away 5.24 1.57 68.2 1 6 0 9.3 3.0 1.4
2023Home 7.27 1.35 26.0 1 0 0 8.3 2.1 2.8
2023Away 5.06 1.50 21.1 0 2 0 9.3 2.1 1.7
2022Home 11.40 2.13 15.0 0 1 0 9.6 3.6 0.6
2022Away 3.05 1.60 20.2 1 0 0 9.6 3.0 0.0
2021Home 2.31 0.90 39.0 3 2 0 8.1 2.1 0.9
2021Away 7.09 1.61 26.2 0 4 0 9.1 3.7 2.4
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Luke Weaver compare to other starting pitchers?
This section compares his stats with all starting pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 120 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
4.18
 
K/9
8.7
 
BB/9
2.1
 
HR/9
2.3
 
Fastball
93.7 mph
 
ERA
6.27
 
WHIP
1.42
 
BABIP
.335
 
GB/FB
1.08
 
Left On Base
67.7%
 
Exit Velocity
83.5 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
6.5%
 
Spin Rate
2202 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
26.4%
 
Swinging Strike
10.2%
 
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
Weaver was one of the worst starters in baseball during the shortened 2020 campaign with a 1-9 record and 6.58 ERA, but he rebounded last season to post a respectable 4.25 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 62:20 K:BB over 65.2 innings. The 28-year-old missed over three months with a rotator cuff injury but returned for the final month of the season and pitched well down the stretch. Weaver should work at the back end of Arizona's rotation and could be a streaming option in deeper leagues if he can continue the upward trend from 2021.
Weaver was the only pitcher in MLB tagged with nine losses despite making only 12 starts during the shortened season, and the rest of his numbers (6.58 ERA and 1.56 WHIP) also weren't pretty. It's quite the contrast to 2019, when the right-hander dazzled with a 2.94 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 12 starts before going down with injury. His flyball rate increased more than 10 percentage points to 48.4%, while his HR/9 more than doubled to 1.74. However, the 4.66 FIP indicates he also didn't receive much help from his defense. Weaver remains a strong bet to retain a rotation spot to begin 2021, and he's a reasonable buy-low candidate following the rough campaign considering his workable strikeout and walk rates (23.3% and 7.6%, respectively).
Weaver was pitching extremely well in 2019 before he went down in late May with forearm tightness, which held him out for all but two innings the rest of the season. Weaver emphasized his cutter in 2019 to give him a more effective third pitch, and saw a resurgence in his strikeout rate and a stat line that looked a lot closer to his 2017 promise than his 2018 disappointment. Those worried about the forearm issue should take solace in watching what Tyler Glasnow did last year. Both pitchers were shut down with similar issues, yet Glasnow came back late in the season and was throwing darts in the postseason as if he hadn't missed a beat. Weaver's lack of work after the injury may hold down his cost on draft day, and where you take him should depend on your appetite for risks. The move to Arizona was a good one for him, and he was taking a positive step forward before the injury.
Drafted just outside the top 100 last spring, Weaver was one of 2018's bigger disappointments, as he ended the season in a mop-up role. It's probably too early to completely write off the 25-year-old right-hander, who was sent to Arizona as the headliner in the Paul Goldschmidt trade. Weaver's first-pitch strike rate along with his swinging-strike rate were virtually the same as the previous season. However, in 2017 Weaver posted a 28.6% strikeout rate, compared to a 19.9% mark last season, perhaps because the book was out on his shallow repertoire. Whiffs aside, Weaver's control and command slid last season, as he walked more while allowing more homers. He still lacks a quality third pitch (opposing batters slugged .589 against his curveball), and his top two pitches (fastball, changeup) were not as dominant as they needed to be for him to have sustainable success. His upside is limited to a low-innings mid-rotation starter until that pitch mix improves.
Say what you will about a "soft" schedule for Weaver; he was excellent in 2017. The right-hander posted a 2.05 ERA over his first 11 starts, and while a couple of poor performances at the end of the year inflated his overall numbers, Weaver finished with a 3.17 FIP and 2.93 xFIP over 60.1 innings at the big-league level. He averaged 10.7 K/9 and just 2.5 BB/9 -- he had the 28th-best K-BB percentage among 274 pitchers with at least 60 innings. Weaver did well to keep the ball on the ground (49.4 percent GB%) and limit hard contact, resulting in a .287 xwOBA. He is still primarily a fastball-changeup pitcher, but the changeup is a dominant pitch, and his curveball is coming along. The only real concern with Weaver is his workload. He totaled just 138 innings between the majors and minors last year, his highest total as a professional, after throwing 119.1 combined frames in 2016.
Weaver got his first taste of the majors at the latter end of the 2016 season. He pieced together a few rough outings and ended the year with a 5.70 ERA and 1.60 WHIP that was built over nine games (36.1 innings). Lefties were particularly tough for Weaver and they went 23-for-69 (.377) against the 23-year-old. Fortunately for the club, he showed signs of promise and produced a 27 percent strikeout rate in that time. Weaver has shown he's a capable starter in the minors, as he dominated his 12 starts at Double-A Springfield in 2016. Heading into 2017, the Cardinals may have Weaver compete for a spot at the back of their rotation, or could opt to use him from the bullpen as they did at the end of 2016. However, the most likely course of action will be to send him to Triple-A Memphis, where he's only appeared in one game to this point, to keep developing his breaking pitches until he's deemed MLB-ready.
Weaver appears to be a third pitch away from being a No. 3 starter, thanks to a low-90s fastball and a filthy changeup that will work as an out pitch at the highest level. That combination was enough for him to breeze through the pitcher-friendly Florida State League with a 1.62 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 88 strikeouts in 105.1 innings. Those numbers rightfully put him squarely on the radar of dynasty league owners, but most reports suggest his curveball lags way behind the rest of his arsenal. Without that third pitch, there is not much to see here, so Weaver should still be seen as a work in progress. Fortunately he is in a competent organization, and at least two years away from the big leagues, so it is OK that he is not a finished product. He will head to Double-A Springfield in 2016, where it should become fairly obvious if he has improved his breaking ball.
The 27th overall selection out of Florida State in the 2014 amateur draft, Weaver is expected to work his way through the Cardinals' system rather quickly and could be competing for a roster spot as soon as 2016. Weaver was only able to log 9.1 professional innings with the club's rookie and High-A affiliates, getting six starts and striking out 12. Expect Weaver to start 2015 in either Low-A or High-A for the Cardinals, possibly finishing the season in Double-A if he pitches well. Weaver has drawn praise as one of the lowest risk pitchers drafted. Fantasy owners still shouldn't expect anything on the MLB level until 2016, with 2017 being the most likely scenario.
More Fantasy News
Fans five in no-decision
PCincinnati Reds
May 31, 2023
Weaver allowed three runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out five batters over 5.2 innings in a no-decision against Boston on Wednesday.
ANALYSIS
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Takes tough no-decision
PCincinnati Reds
May 25, 2023
Weaver allowed three hits and one walk over 6.1 scoreless innings during Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Cardinals. He stuck out six and didn't factor in the decision.
ANALYSIS
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Hit around by Yankees
PCincinnati Reds
May 20, 2023
Weaver did not factor into the decision Saturday, allowing four runs on eight hits and zero walks over 4.1 innings against the Yankees. He struck out four.
ANALYSIS
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Posts best outing of season
PCincinnati Reds
May 14, 2023
Weaver did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing one run on seven hits and one walk over 5.1 innings during a 3-1 loss to the Marlins. He struck out six.
ANALYSIS
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Stumbles into first win
PCincinnati Reds
May 10, 2023
Weaver (1-2) picked up the win Tuesday in a 7-6 victory over the Mets, giving up four runs on four hits -- including three home runs -- and a walk over six-plus innings. He struck out two.
ANALYSIS
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