Luke Weaver Trade Should Be Among Yankees' Top Priorities 6 Weeks Before Deadline

The New York Mets aren't in a good place right now. There was something so apropos about SNY field reporter Steve Gelbs, speaking into a camera with a somber tone over the firing of manager Carlos Mendoza, all while Mr. Met danced behind him. If there is one thing you can count on with a team that bad, it's that a fire sale is probably coming, and it could be an opportunity for the New York Yankees to pounce.

The Mets have some interesting pieces to consider, but this could be a moment for the Yankees to bolster their bullpen and pick the scraps of whatever is left of the team over in Flushing. Of course, in this instance, it could be an opportunity for them to take on somebody who was just there in Luke Weaver.

The Yankees were not interested in Weaver's services once the season was over. They also weren't going to match the Mets' offer of two years and $22 million, considering they didn't put a cent into the bullpen last winter, and were intent on figuring things out until the deadline. Well, with the deadline looming, Weaver could be of some help.

Weaver by the numbers

With Weaver, the Yankees know what they're getting. He did lead them to a World Series after all at the back end of the bullpen. His issues last year were more about pitch tipping than a decline in his stuff. He also dealt with an injury. This year, with a fresh start and a clean bill of health, Weaver looks like the Weaver of old.

New York Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver (30) pitches during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In 34 innings, he has a 2.12 ERA and a 1 WAR, according to FanGraphs. He also has a 37-strikeout-to-nine-walk ratio. Weaver's underlying metrics are also those of the player who helped the Yankees get back to the World Series in 2024. He has a 91st percentile 2.85 ERA, an 88th percentile .201 XBA, an 85th percentile 28% strikeout rate, a 76th percentile 6.8% walk rate, and an 87th percentile 31.8% hard hit rate.

Mending fences

Giving up prospects for a player the Yankees could have easily signed last year is the kind of move that would mean swallowing some pride, but in this case, Weaver was pretty bad. The Yankees had also soured on him a bit when it came to his tipping.

There was a point last year when Gerrit Cole told Weaver that it was something he needed to work on, and the vibe around the Yankees was that he didn't understand the severity of the issue. That bothered his former club. Losing his job as closer and being ineffective for the second half of the year should have been one sign that things weren't working out for him.

This could be an instance of mending fences, though. If it helps get them to the World Series, then why not?

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