Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees Options Thinning After Second Pitcher Signs With Mets

Another former New York Yankees bullpen arm has signed with the New York Mets.
Delilah Bourque|
May 22, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Luke Weaver (30) reacts after closing the game against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
May 22, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Luke Weaver (30) reacts after closing the game against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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New York Yankees

The free agency market is heating up and another former New York Yankees pitcher is leaving the team. According to the New York Posts' Joel Sherman, reliever Luke Weaver is in the process of finalizing a two-year, $22 million deal with the Yankees' crosstown rivals, the New York Mets.

Weaver is not the first reliever to jump ship for Queens this season. Former closer Devin Williams also signed with the Mets after a very up and down 2025 season in the Bronx.

The Yankees struggled with relief pitching all throughout 2025. Williams had the closer spot after joining the Pinstripes in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024. However, he was inconsistent and pulled from closing after blowing a save to the Toronto Blue Jays in May. Weaver then took over, but suffered a leg injury a few weeks later and missed almost a month to recover.

After recovering from injury, Weaver just wasn't the same. He and Williams split closing details until the trade deadline, at which time the Yankees acquired current closer David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates. While Bednar frequently got the job done, he wasn't the splashy flame thrower that the Yankees wanted when they acquired Williams in 2024.

The Yankees Need More Bullpen Arms

Now, the bullpen is even thinner in the Bronx. In addition to Bednar, the Yankees have right handers Camilo Doval — another 2025 deadline addition — and Fernando Cruz as well as lefties Tim Hill, Brent Headrick and Ryan Yarbrough. While there are a few relief pitchers in the Yankees' farm system who could make their debuts in 2026, they're untested at the MLB level.

Edwin Díaz, arguably the biggest name reliever available, has already signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers (ironically, he departed the Mets for LA). There's a lot of relievers available for trade or looking for a new team in free agency, but the best ones are getting scooped up and fast. Weaver, apparently, was no exception.

The Yankees have a long list of offseason needs, including a heavy-hitting outfielder and a healthy starter. Now, they need to add more bullpen arms to that list. The existing options aren't enough to make the big saves that the Yankees need, and fans could see a repeat of 2025's closing issues if they don't act on the free agency and trade markets.

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Delilah Bourque
DELILAH BOURQUE

Delilah Bourque is a writer and copyeditor based out of Pittsburgh, PA. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2021. After a few years in corporate marketing, she joined On SI as a full-time copyeditor and contributor to the New York Yankees On SI, as well as occasional contributions across the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Steelers on SI.

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