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Luke Weaver is quietly dominating

Andrew TankersleyBy 5 Mins Read
Weaver
Weaver has been one of the best starters down the stretch (SD Union-Tribune)

Nobody is talking about Luke Weaver, and it is about time we should. The St. Louis Cardinals are starting to fade into obscurity after being swept by the Cubs at Wrigley over the weekend. Over the past few weeks however, we have gotten a glimpse into the rotation of the future.

Luke Weaver was the 27th pick in the draft for the Cardinals in 2014. Since then, he has been dominating the minor leagues with a career 25-11 record and 1.99 ERA. He was called up in July and has started seven games while appearing in 10. He now sports a 1.89 ERA on the season and is 6-1 with a 1.8 WAR already despite starting 20 less games than the leader, who has a 3.5 WAR.
For any fantasy baseball players out there, this is a great guy to get on your team at the most crucial time in the season. Players have picked up on that as he is now owned in over 70 percent of ESPN leagues. He has been paying off for them as well as he has been racking up the wins with an average of 8.4 K/9 over these last five wins he has earned.

The one thing that is worth mentioning about Weaver is the quality of teams he has pitched against. Four of five teams he has faced on this win streak have a sub .500 record. The Brewers are the only team that are in the playoff hunt out of the group, but he did strike out 10 in that appearance. The best team that Weaver has faced is the Diamondbacks who teed off him for four runs in five innings.

What he has to offer

Weaver features a 94-96 mph fastball that stays consistent throughout the game. He has an excellent changeup to back it up that has plenty of sink to throw off opposing hitters. Where Weaver excels is his control though. If you are to watch a game where he is pitching you will not see much of a mix up between him and Molina.

Where Weaver can stand to improve is with his breaking ball. He seems to have figured out a better way to control it since reaching the majors, but this is where he struggled in the minors. Look for him to work on that breaking ball because if the 24 year old can reign it in, he will be a force to be reckoned with

What Weaver means for St. Louis

Weaver
Alex Reyes will emerge as a star in the coming years (MLB.com)
With his performance as of late, the Cardinals should be very happy with what their young core looks like in the rotation. Alex Reyes is St. Louis’ best prospect, but he has been sidelined this season due to Tommy John surgery. He is still ranked as the 14th best prospect in baseball according to MLB.com despite the injury. Reyes just turned 23 so the Cardinals should be very hopeful about his future.
Jack Flaherty is another prospect the Cardinals are excited for. He is still adjusting to the big leagues as he currently has an ERA over 6.00, but he is still only 21 years old. Flaherty still has time to get used to the big leagues at such a young age. He has a solid fastball-changeup combo that should play well. The stuff is there, he just needs time to mature.
These three guys are all names that are starting to set in at the big league level. They should give GM Mike Girsch some excitement though knowing they will be joining Michael Wacha and potentially Lance Lynn if they choose to re-sign him.
Weaver fits right into the Cardinals future and potentially dominant rotation. He and Reyes seem to be the ideal candidates for Wainwright to pass the torch to once he retires.

Will he be able to sustain his success?

There is not much to suggest Weaver won’t be able to become a successful major league pitcher. He has had an easy schedule, but it is tough to take much away from a young pitcher who is having his first extended look at the majors. His impeccable control is what suggests he will be able to continue his dominance through the season.

He should become a fixture in the rotation next season, especially if Lance Lynn does not return. It will be interesting to see how the rotation will turn out with Weaver and Reyes potentially leading the way in the young rotation.

 

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