Luke Weaver Signs 2-Year $22 Million Contract With the New York Mets
Luke Weaver has signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the New York Mets. In the wake of Edwin Díaz’s departure to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets are rebuilding their bullpen. Weaver, who spent time setting up Devin Williams, will reunite with his old teammate in Queens.
The free agent contract is pending a physical. However, with the acquisition of Weaver, one has to question what the Mets are doing; both Williams and Weaver were horrible for the Yankees last year. Do you think Weaver will be good for the Mets next season?
Luke Weaver’s Statistics
Weaver is a failed starter turned ace reliever turned awful pitcher who was hit around at the end of last season. He is 38-49 in his career overall, with 12 saves and a 4.74 earned run average. He does have 746 strikeouts in 723 innings pitched.
He stepped in as the Yankees’ closer in 2024, after Clay Holmes, whom the Mets signed last year, imploded. Weaver will now join his teammate Williams in the back of the Mets’ bullpen.
Over the past two seasons, Weaver established himself as a solid late-inning reliever in the Bronx after spending most of his career as a starter. Weaver was one of General Manager Brian Cashman’s successful bullpen reclamation projects. He became one of the top relievers on the free-agent market, joining a class that included Díaz and Williams.
When Díaz went to the Los Angeles Dodgers last week on a three-year, $66 million contract, the Mets committed to Williams as their closer and began searching for additional leverage arms. Williams struggled in the ninth inning last season with the Yankees. Ironically, former Met Pete Alonso hit a huge home run off of him in the playoffs years ago, and probably psychologically damaged the closer.
What Other Relief Pitchers Are Available?
This offseason has been noteworthy for a couple of reasons. First, there were the slow Winter Meetings. Second, relief pitchers have been getting big contracts this offseason. Who is left in the wake of Weaver signing with the Mets? These are a couple of the pitchers who are left:
Pete Fairbanks, Tampa Bay Rays, 32
2025 Stats: 61 games, 60.1 innings pitched, 2.83 earned run average, 3.63 fielding independent pitching, 1.05 walks plus hits per innings pitched, 8.80 strikeouts per nine innings
2025 Salary: $3.8 million
Seranthony Dominguez, 31
2025 Stats: 67 games, 62.2 innings pitched, 3.16 earned run average, 3.47 Fielding Independent Pitching, 1.28 walks plus hits per innings pitched, 11.35 strikeouts per nine innings.
2025 salary: $8 million
There are more pitchers left, but you get the picture. There are some teams, like the Yankees, that specialize in finding pitchers who are not on the radar and turning them into viable bullpen pitchers.
Conclusion
The New York Mets have signed Weaver, pending a physical, to a two-year, $22 million contract. That is a big contract for a relief pitcher who got hurt last year and then pitched poorly. He will join another former Yankee pitcher in Williams, who was a disaster for the Yankees, in the Mets bullpen. Good luck!
