The New York Mets did not wake up Wednesday planning another quiet headline. They could not afford one.
After watching Kyle Schwarber, Edwin Diaz, Pete Alonso, and a handful of other targets come off the board in rapid succession, the Mets were drifting toward the kind of offseason silence that erodes confidence fast. Jorge Polanco helped steady the pulse. Now, the bullpen may finally be catching up.
According to MLB insider Joel Sherman, the Mets are in agreement on a two-year, $22 million deal with free agent reliever Luke Weaver, pending a physical.
It is not the loudest move on the market, but it is the kind that signals direction. For a team starving for dependable relief innings, that matters.
Why the Mets See Value in Luke Weaver
Weaver’s recent track record with the New York Yankees tells a story worth reading carefully. In 2024, he posted a 2.89 ERA across 84 innings, thriving in high-leverage situations and missing bats at an elite rate. Last season, the overall number rose to 3.62, but that stat alone misses the shape of his year.
Before a hamstring injury derailed him, Weaver was excellent. He attacked hitters with confidence, kept the ball off the barrel, and looked every bit like a late-inning fixture. The Mets are clearly betting that the second half collapse had more to do with health than decline.
The rough months were real, though. July brought a 7.15 ERA. September was worse, ballooning to 9.64 as Weaver labored through shortened outings and inconsistent command. For a bullpen arm, those stretches cannot be ignored, but context matters, and the Mets appear comfortable chalking them up to an injury that never truly healed.
A Calculated Gamble, Not a Panic Move
This is where the signing becomes interesting. The Mets are not asking Weaver to be the savior of the bullpen. They are asking him to stabilize it.
Even during his worst stretches last season, Weaver continued to miss bats. The strikeout ability never vanished. That is often the first thing to go when a reliever is losing his edge, and it stayed intact. For a pitching staff that too often relied on contact and hope, that trait alone carries value.
If healthy, Weaver profiles as a strong bridge option to Devin Williams, another former Yankee who brings his own late-inning credibility. The Mets bullpen suddenly has shape instead of question marks. Not dominance across the board, but structure.
A Familiar Bronx Blueprint Emerges
There is also an irony here worth noting. The Mets will now roster three former Yankees closers. Weaver. Williams. Clay Holmes, who is being stretched out as a starter.
According to Sherman, the Yankees were not actively bidding to retain Weaver despite reports suggesting otherwise. That opened the door for the Mets to act decisively. It is not about copying the Bronx. It is about recognizing what worked there and applying it with intention.
The Mets are clearly leaning into experience, betting that pitchers who have navigated October pressure can help steady a bullpen that lacked identity.
What This Means Going Forward
This move does not erase the sting of missed stars or unanswered lineup questions. It does, however, reflect a front office that understands where it failed last season. The bullpen needed reliability more than flash.
If Luke Weaver is healthy, the Mets may have quietly landed one of the better value arms on the market. If not, the risk is real but manageable.
Either way, this feels like a pivot point. Not the end of the Mets’ offseason story, but the moment it stopped drifting and started choosing a lane.