
You're Invited to an Udderly Ridiculous Cow Wedding - CNN 5 Good Things - Podcast on CNN Audio
Krista Bo
00:00:00
Hey there, if the headlines have been weighing you down lately, I've got five stories to help lift you up.
Cheryl Haskett
00:00:06
We were like, we have no idea how this is gonna go. This could be absolute chaos or it could be the most magical thing ever.
Krista Bo
00:00:14
'You are cordially invited to relive the world's first cow wedding. We'll also share why a high school graduate can now afford to go to college. Plus, some feel-good shout-outs to all the fathers out there. From CNN, I'm Krista Bo, and this is 5 Good Things.
Krista Bo
00:00:34
'An Indiana-based dentist isn't just filling in cavities. He's also filled in a spot at the U.S. Open Golf Tournament this week. Matt Vogt has played alongside some of the biggest names in golf at a course that's just half an hour away from where he grew up, the Oakmont Country Club outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Matt Vogt
00:00:52
It would be an incredible accomplishment or an incredible thing to be doing if it were anywhere in the country. But for us to be back here at Oakmont. It's just a place that means so much to me. I'm incredibly grateful.
Krista Bo
00:01:01
'The 34-year-old self-proclaimed math and science geek has been golfing since high school, but he stopped taking the sport seriously after he quit his college golf team.
Matt Vogt
00:01:11
'It's very special. I hope to represent a lot of different groups of people this week, you know, Pittsburgh, Oakmont, the dentists of the world, make my patients proud, amateurs, mid-amateur golfers, so it's surreal.
Krista Bo
00:01:23
'He's currently ranked 2,120th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, last time we checked. Last Monday, Matt finished eight under par during the Open's grueling 36-hour final qualifying stage, dubbed "Golf's Longest Day," where hundreds of golfers competed for a spot in the third major of the PGA Tour season.
Krista Bo
00:01:43
The Oakmont course is notoriously hard, and it has a special place in his heart because he used to caddy there for six years as a kid. He did get knocked out of the tournament yesterday, but just being there is a win in and of itself, if you ask me.
Matt Vogt
00:01:56
I hope to inspire others to let them know that it's never too late, or there's no reason you can't pursue your dreams at any point in your life. Other people might think it's foolish or a waste of your time. If you want to do something and it's important to you, you can do it.
Krista Bo
00:02:13
'Talk about a pasture-perfect romance. At a small farm in rural Ontario, Canada, two Scottish Highland cows named Muriel and Rhett tied the knot in what the farm's billing as the world's first cow wedding. They said, 'I'm Moo' at Udderly Ridiculous Farm Life, a quirky award-winning agritourism spot known for goat yoga, alpaca picnics, and now cow weddings. The name says it all.
Cheryl Haskett
00:02:39
And the clip is off.
Krista Bo
00:02:43
'Cheryl Haskett runs the spot with her husband, Greg, who's a third-generation farmer.
Cheryl Haskett
00:02:50
I am a Chief Everything Officer here, from poop clean up to guest experience, to all things in between. So Muriel was my Mother's Day accidental purchase to myself. And then I realized, you know what, muriel needs a boyfriend and I went on a search for a boyfriend.
Krista Bo
00:03:07
Rhett ended up being the lucky bull. Cheryl says sparks flew immediately.
Cheryl Haskett
00:03:12
Sometimes Muriel would walk past the pasture that he was in and he would just come bounding to the gate and the two of them would stop and they would nuzzle each other. And I'm like, I am a good cow matchmaker. This is my new resume piece.
Krista Bo
00:03:26
So guests started suggesting a wedding, and Cheryl leaned all the way in.
Cheryl Haskett/wedding officiant
00:03:30
Bovenity chapter 4 verse 7, love is patient, love is kind, it does not trample others grass, it does not chew cud in anger.
Krista Bo
00:03:41
With her flower crown, painted hooves, and white skirt, Muriel walked down the aisle after her flower family of goats to meet the love of her life, dressed in a kilt at the gate.
Cheryl Haskett/wedding officiant
00:03:52
By the powers vested in me, by the holy order of the sacred romance, I now pronounce the two of you cow and bull. You may lick noses.
Krista Bo
00:04:03
'The cow-ple had their first dance and went straight to the honeymoon suite, while the guests enjoyed an alpaca social hour.
Cheryl Haskett
00:04:10
We're hoping in, you know, nine and a half, ten and a half months that maybe we'll have a baby shower. That would be our best hope to continue this little love story along.
Krista Bo
00:04:20
This wedding was udderly ridiculous, and Cheryl says that's exactly the point.
Cheryl Haskett
00:04:26
We were like, we have no idea how this is gonna go. This could be absolute chaos or it could be the most magical thing ever. And it came to be just a moment of joy and laughter. And you could see that on our guest faces and that's what we aim to do.
Krista Bo
00:04:46
'A rescue dog made it home safely after her 100-plus-mile journey by land and sea. Okay, so back in April, Amber, a five-year-old retriever cross mix from Qatar, escaped from her foster home in the UK the day after she arrived. Everything you're about to hear is according to Sam Collins. He's the co-founder of a UK-based animal rescue that helped find a home for her.
Krista Bo
00:05:09
'So when Amber bolted, she first had to clear the home's eight-foot fence. But trust me, that's not the crazy part of the story. For weeks, she was spotted around the area, but after a month went by, reliable sightings stopped. She was next spotted 30 miles southwest on the coast of England. From there, the adventurous Amber doggy-paddled a full mile through the sea to Brown Sea Island, a wildlife haven where dogs aren't usually welcome.
Krista Bo
00:05:36
She spent three days on the island, where a local left out some food and water for her. But when she tried to swim back to the mainland, she got caught in some strong currents. That's when a passing boat saw her. Instead of panicking, Amber swam up to the boat and held onto the ladder until one of the men jumped in to help push her onto the boat.
Krista Bo
00:05:55
'Thanks to a small scar on her nose and some social media posts about her, the rescue group confirmed it was her. Amber is now safe, healthy, and will stay with her foster family for at least a couple weeks -- on a leash, of course. After her incredible journey, Sam says she'll be placed next in a five-star forever home.
Krista Bo
00:06:14
'After his high school graduation last month, 18-year-old Mykale Baker made a quick stop at the Burger King he works at in Dacula, Georgia, to get some food for his family.
Mykale Baker
00:06:24
So I walked in and it was only three employees here. So, and like, they were busy, drive through was backed up, there were a lot of orders on the screen. So I was just like, I can just help y'all.
Krista Bo
00:06:35
'So he decided to clock in and help out. Maria Mendoza was one of the customers in the drive-thru. Her daughter goes to the same school as Mykale, but they didn't know each other.
Maria Mendoza
00:06:44
When I saw him, it's like my eyes locked into Mykale, and my whole world froze for a minute. And it was just like me and him just there. And that was, I was so impressed.
Krista Bo
00:06:56
She posted a video of him working at the fast food restaurant wearing his graduation medals and asked TikTok to do their thing. The next day, it had over a million views. That's when her daughter suggested she should make a GoFundMe for Mykale. Maria met up with Mykale and his mother at the same Burger King and told him the news.
Maria Mendoza/TikTok video
00:07:13
So, I did a GoFundMe for you, and so far it has raised over $6,000. Here we go. Over $6000. I told you it was worth it.
Mykale Baker
00:07:27
I'm surprised and I feel very grateful to everybody that supported me, especially to Maria for setting up the GoFundMe and posting the TikTok because it had changed my life dramatically.
Maria Mendoza
00:07:39
Aw, you're welcome. You're gonna make me cry.
Krista Bo
00:07:43
Mykale said he was planning to take a gap year or join the military to save up for college, but the GoFundMe has since raised over $230,000.
Mykale Baker
00:07:52
Now I get to go to college, now I don't have to take the gap year. And then potentially open up my own mechanic shop.
Krista Bo
00:07:59
Mykale clocked in to lend a hand and clocked out with a brighter future.
Grace
00:08:05
My dad's one of the funniest people I know, but he also gives really good advice when you least expect it.
LaMont
00:08:12
I can honestly say that being a dad is amazing, it is one of the best feelings in the world.
Krista Bo
00:08:19
Tomorrow's Father's Day, so we asked you to share what you love about your dad and what you loved about being a dad. Get your tissues ready. The love fest is after the break.
Kat
00:08:31
My name is Kat Cox, I live in Austin, Texas, and I wanted to tell you something good about my father, Butch. One of my favorite things he ever taught me was when somebody asks, how's it going, he says, better every minute. You know, he has a positive outlook on life.
Krista Bo
00:08:47
We asked you to share what your favorite dad advice was, and boy, did you deliver. I'll go first. So my dad, Kevin, would always remind me to stop worrying over things that I can't change. It's great advice. I can say I always follow it, but I should. So thanks, dad.
Grace
00:09:04
When I went away to school, I was having a really hard time. Some days, then he would just send me little messages. But one little message that stuck with me was: take it day by day. You don't have to do the most every day, but each day you get a chance to do the best. And I think that's a really great life lesson that I've taken with me.
Donna
00:09:22
Besides the stunning example of the way my father led his life, the thing I remember about him most is he said that people want to help if you just give them a chance. That's always stuck with me.
Tim
00:09:36
Hi there, this is Tim from Washington, D.C. Every day when I used to get out of the car with my brothers and sisters, he would stop us, look us in the eye, and say, be the leader, not a follower. Short and simple, but it stuck with me all the way through to today. So I wanna thank my dad for that beautiful piece of advice.
Krista Bo
00:09:52
We figured some dads might wanna weigh in on this love vest and share what being a dad means to them.
Justin
00:09:59
'I am a father of an almost two-year-old, and I want to instill kindness, not cruelty, and humbleness, not entitlement.
LaMont
00:10:09
I just try to, you know, instill things like hard work and controlling what you can control. Try your hardest every day and definitely have manners. I think being respectful is something that can really get you far in life.
Brian
00:10:25
No matter what it was going to take and no matter what it was gonna cost, I was gonna give my kid, I didn't even know it was a girl yet, I was going give my kids the best life I could, better than I could ever have expected for my own life.
Alex
00:10:40
'I have two kids, 24-years-old and 18-years-old. I don't really give them a lot of advice. I do try and act out what my dad did for me and that's really kindness and a love of people and acceptance for where they're at.
Josh
00:10:56
There is no greater parental bliss than seeing your child light up with pure elation simply upon seeing their parent's face. Every day brings another opportunity to share new experiences and once again see the world with childlike wonder.
Krista Bo
00:11:17
All right, that's all for now. Join us tomorrow for the next edition of One Thing. Two transgender service members share how President Donald Trump's military ban has impacted their lives.
Krista Bo
00:11:28
Five Good Things is a production of CNN Audio. This episode was produced by Eryn Mathewson and me, Krista Bo. Our senior producers are Felicia Patinkin and Faiz Jamil. Matt Dempsey is our production manager. Dan Dzula is our technical director. And Steve Lichteig is the executive producer of CNN Audio. We get support from Joey Salvia, Haley Thomas, Alex Manaserri, Robert Mathers, Jon Dianora, Leni Steinhardt, Jamus Andrest, Nichole Pesaru, and Lisa Namerow.
Krista Bo
00:11:55
Special thanks to Samantha Lindell, Patrick Snell, and Wendy Brundige. And thank you especially for listening. If you like the show, please consider giving us a good rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or sharing it with a friend. It's the best way to spread the good vibes. Take care. Till next time.
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Forbes
21 minutes ago
- Forbes
UFC 317 Main Card Gets Updated After Latest Fight Cancellation
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UFC 317 Pay-Per-View Fight Card (Updated) Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira - For vacant UFC lightweight title Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France - For Pantoja's UFC flyweight title Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van - Flyweight Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano - Lightweight Payton Talbott vs. Felipe Lima - Bantamweight UFC 317 Main Card Updates NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 07: Joshua Van of Myanmar enters the octagon before the flyweight bout ... More against Bruno Silva of Brazil during UFC 316 at the Prudential Center on June 07, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo) The first change to the UFC 317 pay-per-view card came in early June when Manel Kape was forced from his fight opposite Brandon Royval due to injury. The surging Joshua Van quickly agreed to step in to replace Kape. The most recent change came this week, when Costa fell ill and withdrew from his matchup with Kopylov. Reports are that the Costa vs. Kopylov contest will move to UFC 318 in July. Replacing the Costa vs. Kopylov fight is a short-notice matchup between Payton Talbott and Felipe Lima. The rest of the UFC 317 fight card is up in the air at this time. According to the UFC's 317 page, there are two official fights for the prelims and one official matchup for the early prelims. Another fight that has been scrapped from the UFC 317 card is the heavyweight matchup between Jhonata Diniz vs. Justin Tafa. Tafa pulled out of that fight. Diniz now faces Alvin Hines on the early prelims. UFC 317 Fight Card Main Event: Ilia Topuria Vs. Charles Oliveira ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 26:Ilia Topuria of Spain prepares to face Max Holloway in ... More the UFC featherweight championship fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Ilia Topuria (16-0) is a former Cage Warriors champion. He joined the UFC in 2020 with a 9-0 record. It did not take him long to make a name for himself. He was ranked No. 14 in the featherweight division after three UFC bouts at 145 pounds and one contest in the 155-pound division. Three of those scraps ended with Topuria winning via knockout. In his first fight as a ranked featherweight, Topuria dispatched Bryce Mitchell via submission in the second round, earned his first 'Performance of the Night' bonus and moved to No. 9 in the rankings. A matchup with No. 5 ranked Josh Emmett followed the Mitchell win. Topuria picked up a decision in a 'Fight of the Night' scrap. Topuria's next fight, saw him face Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC featherweight title at UFC 298. Topuria entered that bout as the No. 3 ranked featherweight. He left as the champion after knocking out Volkanovski in the second stanza. In his first defense of the UFC featherweight crown, Topuria made history, becoming the first fighter to finish former 145-pound champion Max Holloway via strikes, knocking out the ex-champion in the third round of their UFC 308 meeting in October 2024. When Topuria decided to move to lightweight and give up his featherweight title, he vowed to sit until he got a 155-pound title shot. That fight takes place at UFC 317. Topuria has a 16-0 record with eight of those wins coming under the UFC banner. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 16: Charles Oliveira of Brazil prepares to face Michael Chandler ... More during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC) Charles Oliveira (35-10-0-1) has been fighting with the UFC since 2010. He won the vacant lightweight title with his win over Chandler and defended the title once, beating Dustin Poirier. He was booked to face Justin Gaethje in his second title defense, but Oliveira missed weight for that fight, which he won by submission, losing the title on the scale. Oliveira had a chance to regain the belt in October 2022, but Islam Makhachev submitted him and claimed the vacant belt. Since that loss, Oliveira is 1-1, beating Beneil Dariush by TKO in June 2023 and losing to Arman Tsarukyan via split decision in April of this year. Oliveira is coming off a November 2024 decision win over Michael Chandler. Oliveira is the No. 2 fighter in the official UFC lightweight rankings. UFC 317 Fight Card Co-Main Event: Alexandre Pantoja Vs. Kai Kara-France LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 07: UFC CEO Dana White places a title belt on Alexandre Pantoja of ... More Brazil after Pantoja's win by technical submission in the second round against Kai Asakura of Japanduring UFC 310 at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by) Alexandre Pantoja (29-5) is on a seven-fight winning streak heading into UFC 317. The 35-year-old Brazilian made his UFC debut in July 2017 with a split-decision win over Eric Shelton. Pantoja's career had its ups and downs over the next three years, where he went 5-3, but he has not lost since he dropped a decision to Askar Askarov in July 2020. Pantoja won the UFC flyweight title in July 2023 on the heels of two 'Performance of the Night' submission wins. Pantoja secured the 125-pound title with a split decision win over Brandon Moreno. Since that victory, Pantoja has defended his three times, beating Brandon Royval in December 2023 and Steve Erceg in May 2024. Both fights ended in decision victories. Pantoja picked up his 19th career finish in his third title defense, submitting Kai Asakura at UFC 310 in December 2024. PERTH, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 18: Kai Kara-France of New Zealand reacts after his knockout victory ... More against Steve Erceg of Australia in a flyweight fight during the UFC 305 event at RAC Arena on August 18, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Kai Kara-France (25-11-0-1) was 17-7-0-1 when he got the call from the UFC in 2019. In his first fight with the promotion, the New Zealander faced a short-notice opponent in Elias Garcia. The two won 'Fight of the Night' honors for their efforts, with Kara-France picking up the decision win. Kara-France followed that victory with two more wins on the judge's scorecards. Then, in December 2019, he faced future champion Brandon Moreno on the early prelims of the UFC 245 pay-per-view card. Moreno won that bout by decision. Kara-France went 1-1 in his next two outings. He then tore off three straight wins between March 2021 and March 2022 and found himself as the No. 2 ranked fighter in the division. In his next outing, he faced Moreno, who was ranked No. 1, in the co-main event of UFC 277. At stake was the interim UFC flyweight title. Moreno won that contest by TKO in the third round. Kara-France followed that setback with a split-decision loss to Amir Albazi in June 2023. Kara-France was booked to face Manel Kape in September 2023, but a concussion during training camp prevented Kara-France from competing on that card, UFC 293. The 32-year-old would not return to action until August 2024, where he earned a first-round TKO win, and a 'Performance of the Night' bonus against Steve Erceg. Kara-France enters UFC 317 as the No. 4 fighter in the official UFC flyweight rankings. We will have more on the UFC 317 fight card as fight night approaches.


Forbes
23 minutes ago
- Forbes
The Savannah Bananas Business Is Booming
Jesse Cole has built the Savannah Bananas into a world-class organization that is printing more and ... More more money. (Photo by Luke Johnson/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) This the third in a series of articles on the Savannah Bananas. The first two can be found here and here. In 2023, the Savannah Bananas embarked upon their first real 'world tour,' playing 71 games across 21 states. When all was said and done, they played in front of 500,000 fans. The next year, they actually played in fewer states (20), but they went big time: In March, they played their first game in a major league stadium (Minute Maid Park, now known as Daikin Park, in Houston). In June, a dream came true for Bananas owner and Boston native Jesse Cole, as his team played a game at Fenway Park. Later that summer they played at Progressive Field in Cleveland. In September, they went to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. And then in October, they took over LoanDepot Park in Miami. In between, they played at all sorts of minor league stadiums, entertaining fans each and every night. The final tally for 2024 was just more than one million happy customers. This year they set their sights even higher. Forty cities are on the schedule, across 28 states (plus the District of Columbia). They will play in 17 different MLB stadiums, including landmarks like Fenway Park (again), Yankee Stadium, and Camden Yards. But it is at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, where history was made. Over two nights earlier this month, the Savannah Bananas played in front of a total of 150,000 fans (75,000 each night). The Carolina Panthers normally play in that stadium on Sundays, but the city of Charlotte paid to convert into it a baseball field for marquee events over a weekend. When the 2025 campaign is done, the Bananas will have danced, twerked, back-flipped, breakdanced, and delighted more than two million fans. Any product specialist would love this level of growth. Jesse and his wife Emily, the co-founders and owners of the Bananas, are no different. But, when you ask Jesse about the ever-growing number of people their teams play in front of every night, he will tell you about the ever-growing level of stress to entertain. Standing on the infield two hours before the Bananas second game in Anaheim a couple of weeks ago, Jesse said to me: 'You see 45,000 fans. I see 45,000 people with whom we have to make a connection. 45,000 people who need to have the time of the lives. I feel that obligation, and am committed to making it happen.' That night in Anaheim set a two-day record for the team – playing in front of 90,000 fans. Fortunately for the Coles, that record was short-lived, as, referenced above, they broke it in Charlotte just one week later. The Bananas will play 48 games this summer, with 39 of them on the road, in states all over the country. They will play only nine games in their home ballpark, Grayson Stadium, which sits right in the heart of Savannah, Georgia. Fans cheer as the Savannah Bananas play their home opener against the Party Animals at Grayson ... More Stadium. (Photo by) And while the Bananas don't need any homefield advantage, they do enjoy the control they have at home. Jesse and Emily are quite meticulous about concessions, which are all-you-can-eat and included in the price of admission in Savannah (burgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies, soda, water, popcorn). Unfortunately, when they play on the road (roughly 80% of the time), they must cede control of concessions to the owner of stadium. Thus, they are subject to what the local teams offer and charge. And their efficiency. The Coles are so cognizant of wait times for snacks that Emily has been known to jump behind the counter and help expedite matters to get fans back to their seats as quickly as possible. In Savannah, tickets runs between $35-$40 – an incredible value considering all that it comes with. And if you want to become a VIB (a 'Very Important Banana,' of course), you can pay $125, which allows you to gain early entry to the park, and have pregame field access to meet and greet the players. Even at this low price, according to Tim Naddy, the Bananas' vice president of finance, the 'entire company can run off ticket revenues.' Unfortunately, demand for tickets blows away supply. As of this summer, there is a three million person waiting list (that is not a typo), so getting an email stating you have 'won' the lottery and providing you access to tickets to an upcoming game can feel like Christmas in July. Nearly everyone who gets an invitation purchases tickets; but they often resell them on the secondary market. While the Coles frown on this practice, there is not much they can do about it. StubHub is currently listing tickets for upcoming games from as low as $86 to well-over $400. Even the cheapest ticket on one of these sites is multiple times what the team charges, and the owners never want their entertainment offerings to become cost prohibitive. For the true Banana fan (Fanana?), one who wants to avoid paying exorbitant prices, you can join the K Club. Once a member of this illustrious organization – which will cost you just $59 this year – you can purchase up to six tickets to games before the lottery opens, giving you access to games, tickets, events, meet and greets, and premium experiences that never even reach the general public. There are K Club Ambassadors who serve you and provide members with the perfect experience. And, of course, K Club members get a first look at merchandise drops. And merchandise is where it is at. Go to a Bananas game and there will be more merchandise tents than you can shake a banana peel at. They have them for the Bananas as well as their opponents. Most fans don't leave the park without something – a hat, t-shirt, jacket, or even a special Banana Wilson glove. There are jerseys, stress balls, stuffed animals, and even underwear. Everywhere you look at a Bananas game you will see people clad head to toe in gear. The team keeps total merchandise sales and best-sellers close to the vest, and because they keep an incredible inventory, it is impossible to know which items go fastest and/or offer the best profit margin. But even without spreadsheets and P&Ls, it is clear that merchandise is a profit center for the club. Naddy, the finance vice president, keeps merchandise sales separate from other revenue streams to ensure that 'merchandising isn't supplementing operations.' An additional revenue source for the team is television broadcasting. They produce their own telecasts, and license various games to Disney+ and ESPN+. They have added TruTV, which is owned by TNT Sports, as an additional licensee. And that does not include their own YouTube channel. The team is looking to expand its television offerings, but they maintain that the in-person viewing is still the best way to experience the show. The Savannah Bananas are owned and operated by Fans First Entertainment, a privately held company. According to the Huddle Up Substack, it possible that the team is worth as much as $1 billion. But without auditing their books, or until Jesse and Emily take their company public or at least seek investors based on a valuation, it is impossible to know for sure. What is known for sure is that the business is booming and growing each and every season. They have already taken a cruise to The Bahamas and will be heading to Cozumel, Mexico next February. One doesn't need to squint very hard to see their self-named 'World Tour' expanding to Europe and beyond in the coming years. And yet, despite all of their accomplishments to date, the owners aren't resting on their laurels. They are using their success to continue to build their product, add teams, enhance the experience, and entertain even more fans.


New York Times
25 minutes ago
- New York Times
Yankees' Luke Weaver returns: What it means for Devin Williams and the closer role
NEW YORK — The New York Yankees' closer is back. Or is he? The Yankees activated right-handed reliever Luke Weaver (left hamstring strain) from the injured list before the first game of the series against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on Friday afternoon. The team cleared room on the roster for Weaver by demoting lefty Jayvien Sandridge late Thursday. Advertisement Weaver threw a simulated game at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. Weaver's activation likely means a return to the closer's role for the 31-year-old, though manager Aaron Boone was noncommittal about the possibility Thursday. Devin Williams has pitched well in the role since Weaver went on the IL on June 3, posting a 1.59 ERA in six appearances with four saves. But Weaver had taken over the job when Williams was struggling at the start of the season, and not only would it likely be an unpopular decision if Boone were to supplant Weaver, it would be removing a player who was successful when the team needed him. While Williams endured early-season struggles, Weaver was dominant, posting a 1.05 ERA in 24 games with eight saves. Regardless of where he slots in the late innings, adding Weaver will be big for the Yankees' bullpen as a whole. Righty Fernando Cruz hasn't been as effective since returning from the injured list on June 4, posting a 6.35 ERA in seven appearances. Jonathan Loáisiga has also struggled some, though the Yankees believe he'll be a major piece of their late-game formula this year. Mark Leiter Jr. has had the most appearances for the Yankees with a 3.60 ERA in 35 games. 'I mean, it's Luke Weaver,' Boone said Thursday. 'But just then the trickle-down effect that that has, obviously, on giving you more hammers at the back end of the game, especially, and slotting guys into better slots. Anytime you add someone like Luke, it just makes the entire thing better, on top of what he brings.' Weaver transformed into a big-time reliever for the Yankees last season, pitching to a 2.89 ERA in 62 games after spending the first nine years of his MLB career as a starter. He also had a 1.76 ERA with four saves in 12 games in the playoffs last year. Despite the return of Weaver, the Yankees likely will be looking to add to their relief unit at the trade deadline next month. Yankees relievers have just the 10th-best ERA in the majors this season at 3.49. Their strikeout rate is strong at 9.56 per nine innings — the fifth-best in baseball. But they have issued lots of walks (3.87 per nine innings, the 24th-best mark in the game). Advertisement Adding Luis Gil (lat strain) from the injured list at some point around the All-Star break will likely bolster the Yankees' bullpen in addition to their rotation. It would likely mean bumping lefty Ryan Yarbrough from the starting rotation, though he's been good as a starter with a 3.83 ERA in eight starts. Yarbrough has lots of relief experience (136 appearances vs. 76 starts), and the Yankees added him just before Opening Day with the thought he would remain in their bullpen.