The New York Yankees are set to get their best reliever back. It's not a secret that the Bronx Bombers are in a tremendous slump right now, having lost six straight games, and seeing their lead in the AL East shrink to just 1.5 games. Aaron Judge and the offense have crashed back down to earth, recently going through a three-game scoreless streak. In addition, this unit has not put up more than three runs over the past seven games.

It's not the end of the world for Aaron Boone's team, but this group can use all the help it can get, even with the pitching. Fortunately, according to Yankees reporter for The Athletic Chris Kirschner, New York is getting some much-needed good news on Thursday. Kirschner confirmed via Boone that star reliever Luke Weaver could be activated tomorrow. The righty has been out since June 1 with a hamstring injury.

The Yankees' bullpen is off to a middling start. While some of that is due to injuries, there are also certain players off to very slow starts on the mound. Weaver is not one of those players. The 31-year-old has picked up from his solid 2024 campaign to be New York's best relief pitcher. Through 24 games, he has a 1.05 ERA, eight saves, and six holds. When Devin Williams struggled early on, Weaver showed he could be the team's closer. Seeing Boone's decision with that spot in the bullpen will be interesting because Williams has found his form since Weaver's absence.

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Hopefully, Weaver's return gives this roster the morale boost it needs. Because several hungry AL East teams are hot on the Yankees' heels. That includes the Tampa Bay Rays, winners of seven of the past ten, who have claimed the second spot in the division. Right behind them are two teams above .500, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox. It's a shame that New York cannot look above at the Detroit Tigers for the pennant race right now, but that's the situation this team has put itself in with this slump.

Overall, this roster does need a few upgrades by the trade deadline. The Yankees still have not found a permanent answer at third base and could use another reliever to shore up the bullpen. Weaver's return gives this unit some much-needed stability, but if Devin Williams becomes unreliable again, there needs to be more options on this roster. The Yankees still have all of their goals ahead of them. That said, the way this team's greatest strengths have become its greatest weakness during this slump is eye-opening.