The New York Mets clearly weren’t finished dipping into their crosstown rival’s bullpen market this offseason.
After making waves earlier this month by landing elite reliever Devin Williams, the Mets continued their aggressive relief pitching overhaul on Wednesday, as multiple reports surfaced indicating the club is finalizing a two-year, $22 million contract with former New York Yankees right-hander Luke Weaver. Once the deal is complete, Weaver will officially cross borough lines, adding another familiar name to a Mets bullpen that is rapidly taking shape for the upcoming season and beyond.
For Yankees fans, the news is jarring. Another trusted arm from recent postseason runs is headed across town, reinforcing the Mets’ commitment to building a deep, high-leverage relief corps—while simultaneously weakening a division rival.
Weaver’s Most Recent Season in the Bronx
Luke Weaver’s 2025 campaign with the Yankees was a mixed but largely productive one. The right-hander appeared in 64 games, logging 64 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. He finished the year with a 3.62 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts, numbers that reflect both effectiveness and reliability over a heavy workload.
While Weaver wasn’t deployed as a full-time closer, he did collect eight saves, often pitching in high-leverage spots as part of a deep Yankees bullpen. His role fluctuated throughout the season, particularly after a hamstring injury in late May sidelined him and disrupted his rhythm. Upon returning, Weaver showed flashes of his pre-injury form but also experienced stretches of inconsistency—something that ultimately shaped how New York viewed his future with the club.
Still, even with those bumps, Weaver remained a valuable contributor, capable of handling pressure situations and bridging the gap between the rotation and the back end of the bullpen.
A Look Back at Weaver’s Breakout Relief Run
While his 2025 season was solid, Weaver’s strongest work with the Yankees came the year prior. In 2024, he emerged as one of the more dependable relief arms in the American League, playing a key role in New York’s push toward the postseason.
That Yankees team ultimately reached the World Series, falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Weaver’s performance during the regular season and postseason elevated his standing around the league. His ability to miss bats, limit hard contact, and pitch in critical moments made him a trusted option for the Yankees’ coaching staff.
That success also reshaped how teams viewed Weaver. Once seen primarily as a former starter trying to hang on in the league, he began to gain recognition as a legitimate bullpen weapon—someone capable of anchoring the middle or late innings for a contender.
Confusing Signals From the Yankees Front Office
Despite Weaver’s contributions, his future with the Yankees became murky early in the offseason.
During the Winter Meetings, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman raised eyebrows by openly suggesting that the team was prepared to move on from Weaver—comments that came before the right-hander had even signed with another organization. The remarks gave the impression that Weaver’s departure was a foregone conclusion, and many assumed the Yankees were pivoting toward other bullpen options.
However, that narrative became less clear in the days that followed.
According to reporting from The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner, the Yankees actually maintained some level of interest in re-signing Weaver. Conversations may not have been extensive or urgent, but the door was not completely closed, contradicting the earlier public messaging from Cashman.
Ultimately, none of that mattered. Weaver found a firm, multi-year commitment elsewhere—and that elsewhere happened to be Queens.
Mets Strike Again With a Familiar Name
For the Mets, signing Luke Weaver represents more than just adding another bullpen arm. It underscores a deliberate strategy to stabilize and strengthen a unit that has plagued the franchise in recent seasons.
By pairing Weaver with Devin Williams, one of the most dominant relievers in baseball when healthy, the Mets are building a bullpen that suddenly features depth, experience, and late-inning upside. Weaver’s versatility—his ability to pitch multiple innings, handle setup duties, and occasionally close—fits seamlessly into a bullpen that aims to reduce volatility.
From a roster construction standpoint, the two-year, $22 million deal also reflects confidence. The Mets aren’t treating Weaver as a stopgap or reclamation project. Instead, they are committing meaningful money and term to a pitcher they believe can be a consistent contributor.
A Career Defined by Reinvention
Luke Weaver’s path to this point has been anything but straightforward.
Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2014, Weaver made his MLB debut in 2016 and was initially groomed as a starting pitcher. Early in his career, he showed promise with the Cardinals, flashing swing-and-miss stuff and solid command. Over the next several seasons, he bounced between starting roles with St. Louis, Arizona, and other organizations.
However, injuries and inconsistency began to derail his trajectory as a starter. Weaver struggled to stay healthy, and his performance often fluctuated from outing to outing. As a result, he found himself changing teams frequently, trying to recapture the form that once made him a coveted young arm.
The turning point came when Weaver fully embraced a bullpen role. Shorter stints allowed his stuff to play up, and the reduced workload helped him manage durability concerns. What once looked like a career heading toward the margins of the league suddenly found new life.
By the time he arrived in New York, Weaver had transformed himself into a reliable reliever—and eventually, a postseason contributor.
Starting Pitcher Dreams Put on Hold
Earlier this offseason, there was some speculation that Weaver might attempt to return to a starting role with his next team, possibly as early as 2026. Given his background and the increasing demand for rotation depth across the league, the idea wasn’t entirely far-fetched.
However, Kirschner’s reporting made it clear that teams pursuing Weaver were only interested in him as a reliever. Clubs appear convinced that his best value lies in the bullpen, where his velocity, pitch mix, and experience are maximized.
The Mets, in particular, see Weaver as a piece of their late-inning puzzle—not as a swingman or rotation candidate. His role will almost certainly involve setup duties, matchup flexibility, and the ability to shoulder a heavy appearance load across a long season.
What This Means for the Mets’ Bullpen
With Weaver and Williams now in the fold, the Mets’ bullpen outlook for 2026 and beyond looks dramatically different than it did just months ago.
Williams brings elite strikeout ability and closer-level dominance when healthy. Weaver adds steadiness, adaptability, and a track record of success in pressure situations. Together, they give the Mets options—something the club has sorely lacked in recent years.
Managerial decisions become easier when multiple relievers can be trusted in high-leverage moments. The Mets no longer have to overextend one arm or rely on unproven options in crucial games. Instead, they can deploy matchups strategically, shorten games, and protect leads more effectively.
A Strange Sight for Yankees Fans
For Yankees supporters, seeing Weaver and Williams in Mets uniforms will take some getting used to.
Both pitchers were integral parts of recent Yankees bullpen success, and both are now helping reinforce a division rival’s relief corps. The optics are uncomfortable, especially given the Yankees’ own ongoing bullpen questions.
Weaver, in particular, had become a familiar and trusted presence in the Bronx. His departure—especially to the Mets—serves as a reminder of how quickly roles can change in modern baseball and how aggressive rivals can capitalize on uncertainty.
Luke Weaver’s move from the Yankees to the Mets is a story of timing, reinvention, and organizational philosophy.
For Weaver, it’s a validation of the work he’s put in to redefine his career as a reliever. For the Mets, it’s another calculated step toward building a bullpen capable of supporting a contending roster. And for the Yankees, it’s a reminder that even productive, affordable arms can slip away if priorities shift at the wrong moment.
As the Mets continue reshaping their roster, one thing is clear: Luke Weaver is no longer a Yankee. He’s a Met—and a central piece of their bullpen plans moving forward.
