New York Mets add former Yankees closer Luke Weaver in $22M deal to reinforce bullpen

The New York Mets have taken a decisive step in reshaping their bullpen, agreeing to terms with right-hander Luke Weaver on a two-year, $22 million deal. The move signals a clear shift in strategy following the departure of long-time closer Edwin Diaz, as the Mets continue to add relievers with recent experience in the Bronx.

Weaver becomes the latest former New York Yankees bullpen arm to make the move across town, joining Devin Williams and Clay Holmes as part of a revamped relief unit designed to stabilize late innings.

A familiar Bronx-to-Queens pipeline

Luke Weaver, 32, will follow a path already taken by Holmes, who signed with the Mets after his Yankees tenure and was converted into a starter. Holmes went on to post a 3.53 ERA in 31 starts, marking a successful transition in Queens.

Williams also joined the Mets earlier this offseason, signing a three-year, $51 million deal on December 1 after an uneven spell as Yankees closer. Despite the inconsistency, Williams showed flashes of the dominant form that once made him the National League’s two-time Reliever of the Year with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Expected role

With the New York Mets’ bullpen hierarchy taking shape, Luke Weaver is expected to handle high-leverage innings ahead of Williams, who is widely projected to take over ninth-inning duties. The arrangement reflects Weaver’s recent experience pitching under pressure, particularly during his time with the Yankees.

Weaver assumed the closer’s role in the second half of the 2024 season after Holmes was removed from the ninth inning. He delivered repeatedly in crucial moments as the Yankees surged to win the American League pennant before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

Luke Weaver's performance

While Luke Weaver’s performance dipped in 2025, the underlying numbers suggest he remained largely effective. His ERA rose from 2.89 to 3.62, and his workload dropped from 84 innings to 62 2/3 after a hamstring injury in June disrupted his season.

Despite that setback, other metrics showed only modest regression. His WHIP increased slightly from 0.93 to 1.02, while his fielding independent pitching climbed from 3.33 to 3.89. Those figures indicate that Weaver’s overall effectiveness remained intact even as injuries limited his availability.

Filling the void left by Edwin Diaz

Weaver and Williams now headline the Mets’ effort to replace Diaz, who left the club after seven seasons to sign a three-year, $69 million deal with the Dodgers. Diaz had been particularly dominant in his final two seasons with the Mets, striking out 14.8 batters per nine innings over his last three full campaigns.

While Weaver does not replicate Diaz’s elite strikeout profile, he brings steady production. Across his three seasons with the Yankees, he averaged a respectable 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings, offering the Mets reliability and experience in late-game situations.