Why Luke Weaver Could Be Key to Deciphering Mets' Deadline Plans

The Mets figure to be sellers at the trade deadline. What they decide to do with reliever Luke Weaver could be a key tell for their true intentions for 2027.

Jun 27, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Luke Weaver (30) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Mets' 2026 season is lost, and the fallout from its disaster will be massive. While David Stearns is still going to be making important decisions, the Mets have already moved on from manager Carlos Mendoza, and several players could be following him out the door before long.

The prospect of a sale at the deadline isn't one the Mets were expecting at the start of the year, but a 36-51 record speaks for itself. While potential rentals like Freddy Peralta, who failed to reach a long-term extension with the team earlier in the season, are likely headed for the exits, they may not be the extent of the team's changes.

Given the lack of sellers in the market right now, the Mets could clean up nicely if they move some controllable pieces in areas of need. Clay Holmes and Bo Bichette, who both have opt-outs, fit this bill, but the player who could signal a lot about the Mets' intentions beyond this season is reliever Luke Weaver.

Why Luke Weaver could signal the Mets' true intentions for 2027

Of the Mets under club control beyond this season, the player who will likely draw the most interest is Weaver. After a tough start to his time in Flushing, Weaver has been dominant since the start of May, recording 22 consecutive scoreless appearances to lower his ERA for the season to an even 2.00.

Weaver signed a two-year deal with the Mets this winter that will pay him $11 million in 2027. That salary isn't outrageous for a player of Weaver's caliber, especially given his closing experience with the New York Yankees, and owner Steve Cohen could enhance a potential return by paying down part of Weaver's 2027 salary.

Moving on from Weaver would also mean the Mets need to replace him in their bullpen, which won't be easy with a so-so free agent class this offseason. The prudent move would be to shop Weaver if the Mets are planning on a transition year in 2027, but if the goal is to win next year, the Mets would really need to be blown away to consider a Weaver deal.

Huascar Brazoban, who is having an outstanding year and has three more years of club control left, is a lesser example of this dilemma. The Mets could be more open to listening on Brazoban because he is turning 37 in October, making a sell-high strategy more intriguing for him, but Weaver is a setup man in his prime.

The only circumstance the Mets should consider trading Weaver if they intend to contend next year is if they get a Godfather-type offer that is too good to refuse. A good example would be the Yankees' 2016 deal that sent Andrew Miller to Cleveland for four prospects, including two high-end ones in pitcher Justus Sheffield and outfielder Clint Frazier.

While Miller had an extra year of team control than Weaver, the idea worked for the Yankees. They used those prospects to help fuel a new generation of contender. The Mets would need a significant haul to consider moving Weaver, a proven performer in the New York market, if the idea is to win next season.

Trading players is easy in theory, but replacing them is another matter. With Juan Soto still firmly in his prime and Francisco Lindor nearing the end of his, any deal needs to be quite good to get Stearns to part with pieces that can help the Mets win in 2027.