One of the New York Yankees' most heartwarming success stories of the past decade just returned to give his teammates a little bit of luck deep in the heart of Texas.
Or, actually, Lucas Luetge just showed up to have a great time from a perspective he wasn't used to. It just so happened that he brought luck along with him.
Luetge's Yankees career began in 2021 out of seemingly nowhere in the post-pandemic wasteland. He hadn't made a big-league appearance since 2015 in Seattle when he dominated spring training and made himself indispensable in New York, and had been forced to miss the 2020 season when the minor leagues were shuttered (fresh off a 1.08 ERA with Double-A Jackson in 2019). In his two years with the Yanks, he put up ERAs of 2.74 and 2.67, re-establishing himself as a big-leaguer with authority. No wonder he still considers himself a Yankee.
After being traded to the Braves (for Caleb Durbin!), Luetge pitched a partial season in Atlanta, then finished his career down on the farm with the Red Sox and Cubs before retiring at the end of the 2024 season. Now, he's free to alternate globetrotting with family relaxation, and parlayed the Yankees' trip to Houston into a chance to return "home" to the organization that helped resurrect his career (and always knew exactly how to use him).
Luetge and his family attended Thursday's Yankees win at Daikin Park, and got the special experience of hanging in the dugout with Captain Aaron Judge, who entertained them and made them feel welcome.
The Yankees sure could use Luetge's unique ability to soak up innings 6-through-9 with minimal stress these days, but it seems like he's better suited to the role of "family man" (and thrilled to be viewing the game in a new light).
Best of luck to Luetge moving forward, who always seemed especially thankful for the role the Yankees played in his career and life. Judge helped show the valuable lefty a moment his family will never forget on Thursday -- and should probably get some more tickets ready for a potential playoff matchup, based on the outcome of the game.