The New York Mets are finalizing a two-year, $22 million contract with veteran reliever Luke Weaver, adding depth to their bullpen after a strong 2025 season out of the Yankees’ bullpen.
The New York Mets are finalizing a two-year contract worth $22 million with right-handed reliever Luke Weaver, sources report, pending a physical.
The deal adds another experienced arm to a bullpen that has already seen significant turnover this offseason.
Luke Weaver is heading across town pic.twitter.com/J5hlwG8bSj
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) December 17, 2025
Weaver, 32, spent the 2025 season with the New York Yankees and will now stay in New York, albeit across town in Queens.
After emerging as a valuable late-innings option with the Yankees, Weaver will join the Mets’ relief corps alongside other additions as the club reshapes its pitching staff following the departures of stars like closer Edwin Díaz and slugger Pete Alonso.
From starting pitcher to bullpen fixture
Originally a first-round draft pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2014, Weaver began his MLB career as a starter. Over several stints with the Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks, and others, he logged substantial innings in the rotation before transitioning to the bullpen, a move that helped stabilize his career.
In 2024, Weaver reinvented himself as a high-leverage reliever for the Yankees, posting a 2.89 ERA and 3.33 FIP over 84 innings and even recording a few saves during their postseason run.
Luke Weaver in his Yankee tenure:
162.0 IP
3.22 ERA
191 K’s
0.99 WHIPThank you, Weavdog pic.twitter.com/02fgWaKDWm
— AT (@YankeeWRLD) December 17, 2025
While his 2025 season wasn’t as dominant, a lingering hamstring issue and uneven results pushed his ERA higher to 3.62 in 64 appearances; he still showed enough strikeout ability and late-innings poise to draw significant interest on the free-agent market.
Weaver’s 2025 line included 72 strikeouts and a 1.02 WHIP over 64 2/3 innings, underscoring his continued capacity to miss bats even as results fluctuated.
Why this matters for the Mets’ bullpen blueprint
The Mets have undergone a sweeping offseason retool in the pitching staff:
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Closer Edwin Díaz signed a three-year, $69 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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Devin Williams, another high-leverage arm from the rival Yankees, agreed to a three-year contract earlier in December.
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Weaver now brings further depth and experience to a late-inning mix that also includes veterans like Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter, Huascar Brazobán, and Adbert Alzolay.
October 2024 Luke Weaver was an absolute behemoth and it makes me sad that won’t be how he’s remembered as a Yankee pic.twitter.com/nxBxssUtF2
— Max Mannis (@MaxMannis) December 17, 2025
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That cadre of relievers gives the Mets one of the more intriguing late-inning collections in the National League, a necessary development as they seek to rebound from a tumultuous 2025 marked by free-agent departures and trades of core contributors.
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Weaver’s presence also offers insurance against the inevitable volatility of relievers, as he has shown the ability to handle both high-leverage setups and occasional save chances.
Contract details and expectations
According to reports, Weaver’s contract does not include opt-outs or additional team options; it’s a straightforward two-year commitment worth $22 million, pending a physical.
His role is expected to be that of a key setup man or multi-inning bridge arm, especially with Williams projected to close. Weaver’s experience in both roles, closer and setup man, gives the Mets flexibility in late-game management.
Reliever Luke Weaver follows Devin Williams and leaves the Yankees for the Mets. It will be a 2-year, $22 million deal, same as Brad Keller received from the Phillies, per @Joelsherman1
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 17, 2025
Weaver will also add depth to a bullpen that needs reliability amid uncertainty in the rotation and shaken offense.
Given how valuable true relief depth has become in today’s game, securing a reliever with Weaver’s experience on a multiyear pact is a strategic play by the Mets’ front office.
Looking ahead, what to watch in 2026
As spring training approaches, all eyes in Queens will be on how quickly Weaver settles into his new team and how the Mets manage bullpen leverage:
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Matchup deployment: Will Weaver be used primarily against right-handed bats, or will he take on broader late-inning assignments?
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Role clarity: How will the Mets balance Weaver, Williams, and the rest of the arms in high-leverage spots?
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Health and consistency: Can Weaver avoid the injury disruptions that affected his 2025 campaign?
The answers could shape not just the bullpen hierarchy but also the Mets’ broader competitiveness in an NL East where postseason races are usually tight.
The Bottom line
Inking Luke Weaver to a two-year, $22 million deal signals that the Mets see him as a foundational piece of their restructured bullpen.
His veteran presence, versatility in late innings, and ability to miss bats provide immediate value, while the multiyear nature of the deal gives New York stability in a relief market that has already seen rapid movement.
For Weaver, it’s a chance to continue his late-career renaissance in a familiar city and contribute to a team eager to return to contention following a dramatic shift in roster identity.
