New York Mets add veteran pitcher Luke Weaver after multiple role changes with New York Yankees

The New York Mets have finalized a two-year, $22 million contract with right-handed reliever Luke Weaver. At 32 years old, Weaver has spent the past two seasons with the New York Yankees, the Mets' crosstown rivals, and he’s joining a list of former Bronx Bombers now playing in Queens.

This signing is happening as the Mets work to strengthen their bullpen after losing star closer Edwin Díaz, mixing in some familiar faces from the Yankees' late-game pitchers along with new talent. Weaver's joining the team brings him back together with Devin Williams, another former Yankee who just inked a three-year, $51 million contract with the Mets earlier this month. This also comes on the heels of Clay Holmes' three-year, $38 million deal with New York from last December, showing a trend of the Mets snagging players from the Yankees' 2024 bullpen that helped them clinch the American League pennant.

Luke Weaver's rollercoaster tenure with the New York Yankees

Weaver's stint with the Yankees represented a comeback in his career, characterized by changing positions and variable outcomes.

In 2024, Weaver took over from a struggling Clay Holmes as the closer in September, finishing with a 2.89 ERA across 62 relief outings, pitching 84 innings, striking out 103 batters, and securing four saves.

He ended the season with a 7-3 record and performed well in the postseason, going 1-0 with a 1.76 ERA in four games. This included a crucial two-run homer given up to Cleveland's Jhonkensy Noel in Game 3 of the ALCS, a game the Yankees ultimately lost in extra innings due to a walk-off hit from David Fry against Holmes.


Weaver kicked things off on a high note, taking over for Williams (who was brought in during the season) as the closer in late April. He put up an impressive 1.05 ERA and secured eight saves out of nine opportunities across 24 games, but unfortunately, he strained his left hamstring on June 1.

He came back in late June but struggled a bit, ending up with a 5.31 ERA and no saves in three opportunities over 40 games. This added up to a 2025 record of 4-4, a 3.62 ERA, 64 games played, 64.2 innings pitched, 72 strikeouts, and eight saves.

His WHIP fell to 1.02, and batters only managed to hit .195 against him, but he still faced issues towards the end of the season, posting a 9.64 ERA in his last 12 regular-season appearances.

The struggles in the postseason made the downturn even more obvious. In the 2025 ALDS against Toronto, Weaver allowed all three batters he faced to get on base in the seventh inning of Game 1, with all of them scoring in a 10-1 loss. In three appearances, he had a 135.00 ERA in 0.1 innings, surrendering five runs without getting an out, including games against Boston and Toronto.

Analysts project Luke Weaver to thrive in New York Mets

Analysts believe Weaver will excel in the Mets' setup position, possibly regaining his 2024 performance with Williams closing out games behind him. MLB Tonight on MLB.com talked about his chances for a rebound in 2026, mentioning the mechanical adjustments he made after recovering from his hamstring injury.

NorthJersey.com detailed the bullpen strategy: Williams taking the ninth inning, Weaver handling the eighth or multi-inning roles, strengthening late-game reliability.

With the Mets looking to compete in a tough NL East, Weaver's signing, influenced by lessons from the Yankees, shows a bullpen ready for consistency rather than showiness. If he stays healthy, New York gets a seasoned arm for the long run.

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