Luke Weaver

Mets To Sign Luke Weaver

By Steve Adams and Darragh McDonald | December 17, 2025 at 12:25pm CDT

The Mets are working to finalize a two-year, $22MM deal with free agent reliever Luke Weaver, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The two sides have an agreement in place, per Will Sammon of The Athletic. The deal is pending a physical. Weaver is repped by Excel Sports Management. The Mets have a full 40-man roster and will need a corresponding move to make this deal official.

The two-year, $22MM terms are the exact same ones as the just-agreed-upon deal between the division-rival Phillies and righty Brad Keller. Like Keller, Weaver is a starter-turned-reliever who’s found notable success pitching near the back of a big-market contender’s bullpen.

Weaver, 32, has spent the past two-plus seasons as a key late-inning arm over in the Bronx. A rocky finish to the 2025 season inflated his earned run average to 3.62 but since signing with the Yankees late in the 2023 campaign, Weaver touts a 3.22 ERA, 29.4% strikeout rate and 7.5% walk rate in 162 innings of relief. He saved a dozen games and picked up 43 holds along the way, blowing only four other opportunities in that time. It’s presumably just coincidence, but the Mets now employ Weaver, Devin Williams and Clay Holmes (who’s moved into the rotation) — the Yankees’ three highest-leverage arms for the bulk of the 2024-25 seasons.

A first-round pick by the Cardinals back in 2014, Weaver debuted in the St. Louis rotation in 2016 and showed some promise as a starter there in 2017-18. The Cards flipped him to the D-backs as part of the return for star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, and Weaver looked to be on the cusp of a full-fledged breakout in 2019. He started a dozen games and pitched to a 2.94 ERA with plus strikeout and walk rates before a forearm strain ended his season. Subsequent shoulder and elbow injuries doomed the rest of Weaver’s D-backs tenure; from 2020-23, he pitched to a 5.95 ERA while bouncing between five clubs.

The last of those five stops, however, was in the Bronx. He made enough of an impression in three late-season starts to sign a $2.5MM big league deal in the offseason — one that contained a 2025 club option. It proved to be a raucous bargain for the team and a career-saving deal for Weaver, who rebuilt himself into a coveted bullpen arm and now lands the largest payday of his 12-year professional career. Despite that strong run in the Bronx and some reported interest in a reunion, the Yanks were not in the bidding for Weaver, per Sherman.

Back in September, Weaver expressed some openness to returning to a starting role if a team gave him a chance, but that doesn’t seem to be at play here. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com writes that Weaver will slot into the bullpen. It’s unclear if that’s sourced reporting or deduction but there hasn’t been anything to suggest the Mets plan on giving Weaver a rotation gig. The price of Weaver’s deal is right around expectations. At the beginning of the offseason, MLBTR predicted him for an $18MM guarantee over two years, an estimate that he has marginally beaten.

New York had a middling bullpen in 2025. Their collective 3.93 ERA was 15th in the majors. It was even worse later in the year as the season slipped away from the club. Over August and September, the relief corps had a collective 4.18 ERA. At season’s end, Edwin Díaz, Tyler Rogers, Gregory Soto, Ryan Helsley and others hit free agency, further thinning out the group. Those four have already signed with other clubs.

The Mets have signed Williams and now Weaver to fortify the group. They will slot in among incumbent arms like A.J. Minter, Brooks Raley, Huascar Brazobán and others. Presumably, there are still more bullpen moves to come.

RosterResource, assuming an equal distribution of Weaver’s guarantee over two years, now projects the Mets for a $305MM payroll and a $307MM competitive balance tax figure. Since they have paid the tax in at least three straight years, they face compounding taxation rates. The top tier of the tax in 2026 is $304MM, so this deal pushes them over. That means they will pay a 110% tax on any further spending, though that’s nothing new for them.

There are still several items on the to-do list for the Mets this winter. Sammon wrote earlier this week that the club is still looking for a front-of-rotation starter and an offensive upgrade. That could come via free agency but there have also been plenty of trade rumors surrounding Jeff McNeil, Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña. For now, Weaver upgrades the bullpen at market price.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry, Brad Penner, Imagn Images

Mutual Interest In Reunion Between Luke Weaver, Yankees

By Nick Deeds | December 16, 2025 at 9:37am CDT

The Yankees have expressed “genuine interest” in bringing right-hander Luke Weaver back into the fold, according to a report from The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner. Weaver has likewise expressed interest in a reunion, though Kirschner notes that the righty is weighing his options and is seeking a multi-year deal this winter. The report adds that “about 10 teams” have at least checked in on Weaver this offseason.

Weaver, 32, was a first-round pick by the Cardinals back in 2014 and struggled as a back-of-the-rotation starter in the majors for years before moving to the bullpen with the Yankees in 2024. He’s been excellent in that role over the past two years, with a 3.21 ERA and 3.58 FIP across 148 2/3 innings of work. He’s picked up 12 saves with the Yankees in that time, but struggled late in the 2025 season with a 5.35 ERA from the start of July onwards, including a 9.64 ERA in 12 September appearances. Worrying as that late-season meltdown might be, however, a 2.96 xERA and 3.44 SIERA both indicate that he’s still a quality reliever and remains among the best options available on the market.

That’s especially true after the run on high-end relievers that’s taken place in the early weeks of free agency. Edwin Diaz, Devin Williams, Tyler Rogers, Raisel Iglesias, Kyle Finnegan, and Emilio Pagan are just some of the names on an expansive list of late-innings arms who have already landed somewhere, while the Yankees have yet to add to their bullpen at all this winter. The summer’s additions of David Bednar and Camilo Doval help to reduce pressure to land a high-end relief arm, but the loss of Williams and the potential loss of Weaver still leave a hole towards the back of the Yankees’ bullpen. Weaver is joined by former Rays closer Pete Fairbanks and 2025 standout Brad Keller as the top remaining relief arms in free agency, and it would surely behoove New York to add at least one of those players.

Of course, that doesn’t mean a deal will necessarily come together. The Yankees, as Kirschner notes, have recently been hesitant to give out multi-year deals to relievers in free agency. With Weaver seeking a multi-year contract and garnering interest from as much as a third of the league, it’s entirely possible that he’ll find the offer he’s looking for elsewhere if the Yankees aren’t willing to meet that price tag. The Cubs, Marlins, and Mets are among the other teams known to be looking for late-inning relievers this winter. If the Yankees continue to be hesitant about adding a multi-year reliever, they could move down a tier in free agency and target arms like Pierce Johnson, Chris Martin, or perhaps even old friend David Robertson. The trade market could provide another alternative, where Cardinals lefty JoJo Romero is among those known to be available.

Blue Jays Notes: Weaver, Outfielders, Berrios

By Mark Polishuk | December 10, 2025 at 10:41am CDT

With the Blue Jays scouring the bullpen market, Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith reports that Luke Weaver is one of the many relievers on the Jays’ radar. Weaver temporarily served as the Yankees’ closer in 2025, but would presumably be used just in a high-leverage capacity by the Jays, and probably isn’t viewed as a candidate to supplant Jeff Hoffman in the ninth inning (unlike other Jays targets Robert Suarez or the newly-signed Dodger Edwin Diaz).

MLB Trade Rumors projected Weaver for a two-year, $18MM contract, and we ranked the right-hander 41st on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents. He posted a 3.62 ERA, 7.6% walk rate, and 27.5% strikeout rate, with very strong chase and whiff rates accompanying that impressive K%. However, Weaver’s 2025 season was a Jekyll-and-Hyde campaign built around a three-week absence in June due to a hamstring strain.

Weaver had a 1.05 ERA over 25 2/3 innings prior to his stint on the injured list, and then a 5.31 ERA over his final 39 innings of the season. If the regular-season woes weren’t enough, Weaver was then charged with five earned runs over what was officially just one-third of an inning pitched over three playoff appearances — the Jays themselves contributed to this misery by scoring three runs off Weaver without a batter retired in their 10-1 rout in Game 1 of the ALDS.

The long ball was a big part of Weaver’s problem, as eight of his 10 home runs allowed in 2025 came following his IL stint. His 27.5% grounder rate was one of the worst in the league, and well below the 38.7% grounder rate he’d posted over nine previous big league seasons. The big question facing the Blue Jays or any other suitors is whether or not this susceptibility to home runs is a new reality for Weaver, or either a lingering after-effect of his hamstring injury or perhaps just because of some tipped pitches.

As Nicholson-Smith notes, spending huge money on a closer probably isn’t an ideal situation for Toronto’s front office, so Weaver represents an option a tier below Suarez’s asking price. Beyond signing a reliever, another option would be to add bullpen help via the trade market, and The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon write that the Blue Jays “are considering” the idea of trading an outfielder for a reliever.

Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw, Joey Loperfido, “and a few others” are candidates for such a deal. Presumably this would mean minor league depth options like Jonatan Clase, and not presumptive starters like Daulton Varsho, Addison Barger, or Davis Schneider. (The Blue Jays probably wouldn’t mind moving Anthony Santander, yet Toronto would have to eat a huge chunk of Santander’s remaining contract in the aftermath of his injury-marred down year.)

Lukes was a part-timer over his first two seasons with Toronto, but emerged as a regular in 2025, hitting .255/.323/.407 over 438 plate appearances (103 wRC+). The left-handed hitting Lukes primarily played against right-handed pitching, though his splits were only somewhat better against righties than lefties. Lukes can play all three outfield positions, and has delivered passable glovework in center field while excelling in corner outfield roles.

Outfield-needy teams could certainly view Lukes as a candidate for at least strong-side platoon duty. He is also controllable through the 2030 season as a probable Super Two candidate when he gains arbitration eligibility next winter, though the late-blooming Lukes is already 31 years old. The 26-year-old Loperfido is another player with long-term control since he has barely over a full year of MLB service time, and after he hit .333/.379/.500 over 104 PA for the Jays in 2025, rival clubs might be keen to see what he could do with more playing time.

This winter’s center field market is thin enough that Straw could be viewed as a glove-first starter. Straw has never been much of a hitter throughout his eight MLB seasons, but posting a 91 wRC+ in 2025 (from a .262/.313/.267 slash line over 299 PA) counts as a relative surge by Straw’s standards. Some teams will view that as an acceptable level of offense from a player who can deliver Gold Glove-worthy defense in center field.

Straw is the most expensive of this trio, as he is owed $7MM in 2026, and the Blue Jays hold an $8MM club option on his services for 2027 (with a $1.75MM buyout) and an $8.5MM club option for 2028 ($500K buyout). As per the terms of the trade that brought Straw from Cleveland to Toronto last winter, the Guardians are covering $1MM in salary this year and will pay $1.75MM towards either the 2027 buyout or salary.

A $6MM immediate price tag for a superb defensive center fielder isn’t outlandish, and it is a testament to Straw’s bounce-back year that he has regained some value after being a salary dump for the Guardians last offseason. Beyond just the statistics and the salary, however, Rosenthal/Sammon note that Straw’s reputation as a great locker room leader must be valued by both trade suitors and the Blue Jays, given how close-knit Toronto’s clubhouse was during their playoff run.

It makes for a difficult tightrope for the Jays to walk this winter, as while the team obviously wants to retain their 2025 magic on and off the field, some upgrades are needed. Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce are already big new additions to the pitching staff, and beyond the possibility of a Bo Bichette reunion, signing a Kyle Tucker or an Alex Bregman would bring an entire new dimension to the lineup. Nicholson-Smith suggests that if all of Bichette, Tucker, and Bregman signed elsewhere, Toronto wouldn’t necessarily feel the need to seek out another prominent hitter, as the team has trust in its core. Such a decision would carry some risk, as the Jays would be hoping Santander regains his old form, and the rest of the lineup continues basically its team-wide breakout performance.

Jose Berrios’ situation has also been a subplot of Toronto’s offseason, as the Blue Jays are reportedly open to trading the veteran starter, though that’ll be a tricky endeavor considering Berrios’ down year and the three years and $66 remaining on his contract. There have been rumblings that Berrios isn’t happy with his status with the team, as he was removed from the rotation late in the season and (ostensibly due to an injury) wasn’t part of the playoff roster. According to The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon, Berrios hasn’t requested a trade.

GM Ross Atkins shared some details on Berrios when speaking with Bannon and other reporters on Monday, saying Berrios was indeed “disappointed that he wasn’t in our rotation. He handled it well….We’re never going to have a situation where we have 40 players or even 26 players that are feeling great about the opportunity that they were given.” The Blue Jays still view Berrios as a starter going into 2026, and rotation depth might be critical given how Shane Bieber isn’t necessarily a lock for Opening Day due to late-season forearm fatigue.

Poll: Which Team Will Sign Luke Weaver?

By AJ Eustace | December 6, 2025 at 11:50pm CDT

Luke Weaver entered free agency after pitching to a 3.62 ERA in 64 2/3 innings this year as one of the Yankees’ top relievers. He struck out 27.5% of hitters against a 7.6% walk rate and ranked 38th among qualified relievers by K-BB rate. That was a slight step down from his excellent 2024 campaign, when he posted a 2.89 ERA and a 23.3% K-BB rate, which ranked 19th among 169 qualified relievers. Still, he was generally productive during his two years in the Bronx and figures to do well in free agency.

Weaver’s performance noticeably declined following a stint on the injured list in June for a left hamstring strain. After posting a 2.31 ERA in 24 appearances through the end of May, that number jumped to 5.31 in 40 appearances post-injury. Meanwhile, his groundball rate declined from 36.4% in 2024 to just 27.5% this year, which put Weaver in the first percentile according to Statcast. His fly ball rate also jumped nearly ten points to a career-high 56.3%, well above the league average of 38.1% for relievers.

Still, teams will be interested in his strikeout ability and recent pedigree as a high-leverage arm, as well as his openness to becoming a starter. We at MLBTR ranked Weaver at No. 41 on our Top 50 Free Agents list and projected him for a two-year, $18MM contract. Which team will take the plunge? Let’s take a look at some of the options:

Diamondbacks

Arizona’s relievers ranked 28th in the league with a combined -0.3 fWAR in 2025, and their 4.82 ERA ranked 27th. While Shelby Miller and Andrew Saalfrank posted ERAs under 2.00 in 36 1/3 and 29 innings respectively, most of the other relievers ranged from unspectacular to below average. Jalen Beeks was the only qualified reliever of the bunch, posting a 3.74 ERA in 55 1/3 innings. The bullpen’s 11.2% K-BB rate was higher than only the Nationals and Rockies. Weaver, who pitched for the Diamondbacks from 2019-22, would help immensely with the strikeouts, though the hitter-friendly environment of Chase Field may be a less-than-ideal fit given his now-extreme fly ball tendencies. On the other hand, the club is known to be in the market for starting pitching, so it’s possible they could sign Weaver and give him a chance in the rotation.

Mariners

The Mariners’ bullpen was middle-of-the-pack in 2025, with a 3.2 fWAR that tied for 17th in the league and a 3.72 ERA that ranked 9th-best (albeit with half their games in the pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park). Andrés Muñoz, Gabe Speier, and Matt Brash all posted ERAs under 2.70 with strong peripheral stats, including strikeout rates above 29.0%. Beyond those three and Eduard Bazardo, the unit could use some more depth. Carlos Vargas pitched 77 innings in 2025 but was worth -0.6 fWAR thanks to a meager 16.3% strikeout rate and weak peripherals. Trent Thornton, Collin Snider, and Casey Legumina covered 117 1/3 innings in total, but all three had ERAs over 4.50. Reuniting with Weaver (he pitched 13 1/3 innings for Seattle in 2023) would improve the bullpen’s strikeout ability, while the spacious T-Mobile Park could provide cover for his fly ball tendencies.

Orioles

Baltimore’s bullpen ranked 23rd with a collective 1.9 fWAR and 25th with a 4.57 ERA. Keegan Akin and Yennier Cano were the team’s only qualified relievers, and Akin was worth -0.6 fWAR while Cano had an ERA of 5.11 (albeit with an xERA of 3.59). Seranthony Dominguez had a 3.24 ERA and a 30.9% strikeout rate in 41 2/3 innings, but he was traded to the Blue Jays at the deadline. Felix Bautista had a 35.2% strikeout rate and a 50.7% groundball rate in 34 2/3 innings before undergoing surgery in August to repair a torn rotator cuff and a torn labrum. At best, he won’t be back until September 2026. Baltimore is known to be looking for an experienced closer. A Weaver signing could make sense, given his track record of success in the AL East.

Cubs

Cubs’ relievers were 19th in the league with a combined 3.1 fWAR and tied for 14th with a 22.7% strikeout rate. Brad Keller, Caleb Thielbar, Daniel Palencia, and Drew Pomeranz led the unit in innings pitched and all had ERAs under 3.00, but Keller, Thielbar, and Pomeranz are now free agents. Andrew Kittredge posted a well-above-average 35.4% K-BB rate in 21 2/3 innings after being acquired at the deadline, but he was traded back to the Orioles in November. Beyond those pitchers, the club saw Chris Flexen, Ryan Pressly, and Porter Hodge combine for 114 innings. Flexen had a solid ERA but ugly peripheral numbers and is now a free agent. Pressly was underwhelming in his age-36 season and is also a free agent, while Hodge posted a 6.27 ERA and walked 12.2% of hitters faced. A Weaver signing would add an experienced high-leverage arm behind Palencia while still leaving room for additions elsewhere.

Where do MLBTR readers think Weaver will land this offseason? Cast your vote in the poll below:

Photo courtesy of Isaiah J. Downing, Imagn Images

Devin Williams: Open To Reunion With Yankees

By Charlie Wright | October 15, 2025 at 7:33pm CDT

Devin Williams endured a tumultuous season in the Bronx, but the free agent has expressed interest in returning to New York. Williams told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com he’d “definitely be open” to rejoining the Yankees in free agency. “I really enjoyed my experience here. … There’s a lot to like about this city, but it took me some time to adjust.”

New York acquired Williams from Milwaukee this past offseason. The Yankees gave up left-hander Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin for a year of the elite closer’s services. The team’s previous stopper, Clay Holmes, bolted in free agency for a starting opportunity with the Mets. New York was able to replace Holmes with one of the premier relievers of the decade, though the move didn’t pan out as expected.

Williams earned a save against his former team on opening night. He gave up three base runners and needed 36 pitches to get three outs, but got the job done. Williams had a couple of uneven performances in the ensuing weeks, including an extra-inning loss against Pittsburgh, though none came in save situations. He locked down all four of his initial save chances. Williams coughed up a four-run lead on April 19 against Tampa Bay, leading to another extra-inning defeat. In his next appearance, Williams gave up three runs and recorded zero outs to blow his first save. The rough outing cost him the closing gig.

The next few months saw Williams work himself back into the late-inning mix after initially working in low-leverage spots. Luke Weaver earned six saves in May, but a hamstring strain cost him most of June. Williams returned to the closer role and went 12-for-13 on save chances from June through July. New York added a slew of relievers at the trade deadline, including a pair of closers in Camilo Doval and David Bednar. It was Bednar who would assume the role for New York, picking up 10 saves over the final two months of the season. He added two more saves in the playoffs.

Williams’ 4.79 ERA stands out as easily the worst of his seven-year MLB career, but he looked more or less like himself after regaining the closer’s role. Williams posted a 3.92 ERA with an elite 38.6% strikeout rate from June through the end of the regular season. He ripped off nine straight scoreless outings heading into the playoffs, then put up four more zeroes in the postseason. Williams averaged 94.1 mph on his fastball this year, which was down slightly from 2024 (94.7 mph), but right in line with 2023 (94.2 mph) and 2022 (94.1 mph).

The most encouraging sign for Williams, and maybe the biggest factor as he enters free agency, was durability. He made it through 2025 unscathed in the health department, leading to career highs in innings (62) and appearances (67). Williams missed the first four months of his final season in Milwaukee with stress fractures in his back. He was his usual dominant self when he returned, but the 21 2/3 innings he totaled were his fewest in a season since his rookie year.

Williams is entering a crowded reliever market. Proven closers Ryan Helsley and Raisel Iglesias are the headliners, along with Williams. Edwin Díaz and Robert Suarez could join them if they opt out of their current contracts. Emilio Pagan and Shawn Armstrong are coming off career years as fill-in closers. Veterans like Kenley Jansen, Kirby Yates, and Kyle Finnegan have plenty of late-inning experience. Weaver might’ve earned himself a look as a closer after two strong seasons in New York.

Age is certainly on Williams’ side compared to the other available bullpen options. He’s now entering his age-31 season, making him one of the youngest notable free agent relievers. Williams is well-positioned to earn one of the longest and most lucrative contracts of the group, despite the hiccup to begin his New York tenure.

The Yankees will have Bednar and Doval under team control for next season, so they don’t have a strong need to reunite with Williams. Bednar’s ascension to the closer role after joining the team may also be a factor. Williams said it “depends on the scenario” regarding whether being the closer would impact his free agency decision.

With both Williams and Weaver potentially on the move, New York likely needs another piece or two to solidify the backend of the bullpen. The Yankees ranked just 23rd in bullpen ERA in 2025. They slipped to 26th after the trade deadline. Given their history of spending, the franchise will likely be in the mix for every notable name on the market.

AL East Notes: ALDS, Rodriguez, Weaver, Orioles

By Mark Polishuk | October 5, 2025 at 7:02pm CDT

The Blue Jays hold a 2-0 lead in the ALDS after a 13-7 win over the Yankees today. Toronto has torched the Yankees for 23 runs over the two games, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (3-for-5 with a grand slam) and Daulton Varsho (4-for-5 with two homers and two doubles) doing the most damage today with four RBI apiece. Max Fried was charged with seven earned runs over three-plus innings in a disastrous outing for the Yankees ace.

New York’s lineup came to life with seven late runs against Toronto’s bullpen, after Jays starter Trey Yesavage was nothing short of dominant. In just his fourth career outing in the majors, Yesavage allowed only a walk over 5 1/3 hitless innings, with 11 strikeouts — the most K’s from any Blue Jays pitcher in a postseason game. The decision to pull Yesavage after 78 pitches seemed to be based on a desire to keep Yesavage from facing Yankees batters a third time, and to potentially keep Yesavage fresh for usage later in the series. Of course, the Yankees can only hope that there will even be a “later in the series,” as the Jays are just one win away from advancing to the ALCS. Game 3 is on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.

Luke Weaver Open To Rotation Opportunities In Free Agency

By Steve Adams | September 22, 2025 at 11:22am CDT

Luke Weaver has been one of the Yankees’ best low-cost pickups in recent memory. Originally landing in the Bronx via a Sept. 2023 waiver claim, Weaver pitched well in three starts for the Yankees down the stretch that year and made a good enough impression that the Yanks re-signed him to a major league deal in January after he’d become a free agent. He moved to the bullpen in 2024 and made his $2MM base salary look like a raucous bargain. The Yankees made the no-brainer call to pick up a $2.5MM option on Weaver for the 2025 season, and while he hasn’t been as good as he was in ’24, he’s still been a key member of the relief corps.

Weaver is slated to return to free agency for a second time this offseason, and he’ll do so with much higher stock than last time around. The 32-year-old figures to be one of the top relievers on the market … unless he follows the same path as former teammate Clay Holmes and signs with an eye toward moving back into a rotation. The extent to which teams around the league will have interest in that scenario remains to be seen, but when asked about the possibility, Weaver himself told Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman of the New York Post on their podcast that he’s open to the idea:

“For so long, being a starting pitcher — you don’t expect to be a reliever. Being a starting pitcher, honestly, has got to be the best job in the big leagues — especially when it’s going well. But, I just found this niche. I just found this ability to do something a little bit different and use my background of starting to channel it into how I pitch now.

…The door is open. I am never just going to say, ’Absolutely not.’ When the time comes, let’s talk about it. Clay has done a great job this year in that transition. I don’t know what people are saying, but I’ve watched from afar, and I’m proud of him. That’s a really cool thing that he’s done. The transition, I don’t think people truly understand — that’s crazy. To do it as consistent as he has, I commend him. It’s cool to see that it’s possible, too. We see it happening from time to time now. Teams are being a little more strategic. So, yes, I’m very much open to it, but I also am not just like, ’Yeah I want to go do that,’ or, ’Yeah I want to go do this.’ Let’s sit at the table. Let’s have a conversation and see what that looks like and what best [puts me in position] to be the most successful. I would like to have those options if they are there.”

Weaver began his career as a starter and enjoyed plenty of early success. The former Florida State standout was the No. 27 overall pick by the Cardinals in 2014 and was in the big leagues just two years later. His debut effort was rocky, but in 2017, Weaver made 10 starts (and three relief appearances) for the Cardinals in a season that saw him pitch 60 1/3 innings of 3.88 ERA ball. He pitched 136 1/3 innings in 2018 and scuffled a bit, logging a 4.95 ERA, before coheadlining (alongside Carson Kelly) the Diamondbacks’ return for Paul Goldschmidt, who was traded to St. Louis one year ahead of his first crack at free agency.

In 2019, Weaver looked to be in a full-fledged breakout with Arizona. He started a dozen games and pitched 64 1/3 innings with a 2.94 earned run average, a 26.5% strikeout rate and a 5.4% walk rate. A flexor strain wiped out nearly two-thirds of his season, however, and when Weaver returned during the shortened 2020 season, the right-hander struggled badly. Weaver made a full slate of 12 starts and notched solid strikeout and walk rates, but he was also immensely homer-prone (1.73 HR/9) and limped to a 6.58 ERA in just 52 innings.

Shoulder and elbow injuries plagued Weaver each season from 2021-23. He posted a combined 5.80 ERA in 225 innings between four teams across those three seasons but, as previously noted, impressed the Yankees down the stretch. Heyman noted within the podcast that Weaver’s opportunities that offseason included a major league deal to return to the Yankees, a series of minor league deals with spring training invitations, or some options overseas. He chose to sign with the Yankees on that one-year contract, and he’s been reborn in the Bronx.

Through 145 1/3 innings out of Aaron Boone’s bullpen, Weaver has pitched to a 3.28 ERA with a 29.6% strikeout rate, 7.9% walk rate, a 32.2% ground-ball rate and 1.24 HR/9. The 93.8 mph he averaged on his four-seamer as a starting pitcher earlier in his career has spiked to 95.4 mph in short relief. He’s mostly scrapped his former mid-80s slider in favor of a harder, firmer cutter in the low 90s and worked off a four-seam/changeup/cutter mix that’s served him quite well.

That three-pitch mix, at least on the surface, would seemingly give Weaver a decent chance to transition back to rotation work. He’s the same age now that Holmes was when he reached free agency last winter. On the other hand, Holmes’ 6’5″, 245-pound frame is more in line with the prototypical starting pitcher than Weaver’s more slight, 6’2″, 180-pound frame. That’s not to say that Weaver can’t make a similar transition, but that leaner build is less common among starting pitchers, who tend to skew a bit on the larger side (which is only natural, given the physical demands of a starter’s workload).

Regardless, Weaver could well draw some interest as an under-the-radar rotation candidate this winter. Many of the expected top names in free agency have struggled this year, whether that’s with injuries or just lesser results than one might’ve expected on Opening Day. Dylan Cease, Michael King, Zac Gallen, Zach Eflin, Nestor Cortes, Walker Buehler and Dustin May are just some of the many pitchers whose platform year for free agency hasn’t gone as hoped. Weaver could present an intriguing alternative, particularly since he’s demonstrated that he can have success in a short relief role if stretching him back out doesn’t go according to plan.

Weaver made clear that he’s very interested in re-signing with the Yankees as well, but he’ll see what all of his opportunities look like in free agency this winter. His openness to stretching back out should lead to an even wider field of teams who are potentially interested and give him even more possibilities to consider. For now, the righty’s focus is understandably on the present and on pushing as deep into the postseason as possible, but he’ll be a far more fascinating free agent to track in the winter of 2025-26 than in 2023-24.

Fans — Yankees fans in particular — will want to check out the full interview, during which Weaver discusses (among many other topics) the rigors of trying to be available as often as possible, some pivotal differences in a pitcher’s mindset depending on the situations they’re facing, and his thoughts on the AL MVP race between two of his close friends: Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh.

AL East Notes: Bigge, Kim, Scherzer, Westburg, Gil, Williams, Weaver

By Leo Morgenstern | June 21, 2025 at 9:31pm CDT

In excellent news out of Tampa Bay, right-handed reliever Hunter Bigge is recovering well after undergoing surgery to repair multiple facial fractures (per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). Bigge was hit in the face by a 105-mph foul ball off the bat of Adley Rutschman while watching Thursday’s game from the Rays’ dugout. Manager Kevin Cash told reporters today (including Topkin) that Bigge has been released from the hospital and returned home. There is no doubt the incident was terrifying, not just for Bigge but for everyone in either dugout at Steinbrenner Field. While Cash acknowledged that raising the screens in front of the dugouts probably isn’t an option, Topkin reports that the skipper will meet with his players to talk about potential adjustments. “We’ll talk through it,” said Cash. “And see what we can do.”

Bigge, 27, has not played since May 1 due to a right lat strain. Through his first 15 games in 2025, the hard-throwing righty pitched to a 2.40 ERA and a 3.99 SIERA. Indeed, he has been highly effective since he came to Tampa Bay as part of the trade return for Isaac Paredes. He has a 2.48 ERA and 3.22 SIERA in 28 appearances with the Rays. He does not yet have a timetable to get back to game action.

In additional Rays news, Ha-Seong Kim appeared in a rehab game yesterday, going 1-for-4 with a walk, two stolen bases, and a run scored. It was his first game in over a week; as Topkin notes, the Rays pulled him off his last rehab assignment on June 12 with right hamstring tightness. Kim’s strong offensive showing last night was surely good news for Tampa Bay. However, he played DH, and as he works his way back from shoulder surgery, the team’s biggest questions aren’t about his hitting or his baserunning but his ability to play shortstop. The Rays have already made it clear that they won’t reinstate Kim until he is ready to provide his typical Gold Glove-caliber defense at shortstop on a daily basis. So, tonight’s game, in which he’s playing shortstop, will be a much better test of his readiness to return. If it goes well, it might not be long before he finally makes his Rays debut. Topkin suggests Kim is unlikely to require the maximum 20 days of rehab before he is back with the big league club.

More from around the AL East…

Max Scherzer dominated Triple-A competition in his latest rehab start on Wednesday, striking out eight of the 17 batters he faced in 4 1/3 scoreless innings. However, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports that Scherzer’s “thumb/hand” was sore following the outing, so the Blue Jays have decided to push back his next bullpen session to Sunday, instead of today as originally planned. This won’t prevent him from rejoining Toronto’s rotation next week – presuming no further setbacks – but it now seems as if he’s looking at a Wednesday or Thursday return, instead of starting the series opener against the Guardians on Tuesday. The Jays have struggled to fill his spot in the rotation ever since he exited early from his first start of the season, so his return will be a highly anticipated event.
Orioles second and third baseman Jordan Westburg came back from a long stint on the injured list just last week, but he had a new injury scare this afternoon. He jammed his left hand into the bag as he stole second base and later exited the game. Following the contest, manager Tony Mansolino told reporters (including Matt Weyrich of the Baltimore Sun) that Westburg had indeed jammed his fingers on the play, but X-rays were negative. The team is hoping it’s just a day-to-day injury and won’t force Westburg back to the IL. The All-Star infielder has been hitting very well since his return from a hamstring strain.
Luis Gil, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year, has been out all season with a lat strain, but he’s making good progress toward his return to the Yankees rotation. Speaking to reporters before today’s game, manager Aaron Boone spoke highly of Gil’s performance in a live batting practice session (per The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty). Boone did not offer a timeline for the right-hander’s rehab, but he did compare Gil to a trade deadline addition, which suggests he could be back on the mound in late July or early August. Despite several major injuries, the Yankees rank eighth in starters’ ERA and fourth in starters’ SIERA this season. Gil’s return should make an already strong rotation even stronger.
In more Yankees news, Boone revealed on Friday that Devin Williams and Luke Weaver will share closing duties going forward (per ESPN’s Jorge Castillo). Williams is the bigger name with more experience in the role; he’s a two-time All-Star with 77 career saves. However, he struggled with his new team early in 2025, and Weaver stepped up to take over the closing job. Then, Williams moved back into his old ninth-inning role in June when Weaver hit the IL with a hamstring strain. He earned four saves in four chances over seven appearances, striking out 10, walking none, and giving up just one earned run. So, now that Weaver is healthy, it’s understandable why Boone wants to give both pitchers save opportunities. Weaver struggled in his first game back, giving up two hits, a walk, and a home run, but he didn’t seem overly concerned, telling Kuty, “I felt like my stuff was as good as it’s been all year, if not better.”

Yankees Notes: Weaver, Stanton, Rice, Stroman, Volpe

By Mark Polishuk | June 7, 2025 at 1:21pm CDT

Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided the media (including the New York Post’s Greg Joyce and MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch) with injury updates on several players, including closer Luke Weaver. A left hamstring strain sent Weaver to the 15-day injured list earlier this week and reports suggested Weaver would miss between 4-6 weeks, though the Yankees themselves didn’t announce a timeline. While it is still very early in the recovery process, Weaver looks to be showing some progress, as he received a PRP injection in his hamstring and has resumed throwing in each of the last two days.

“[We] like the early stages of where he’s at and how he’s expressing to me how he feels,” Boone said of Weaver’s status. “He’s pretty encouraged and optimistic considering the injury and the timeline with it. So hopefully he does better than that.”

While we won’t know more until (or if) the Yankees release a more concrete timeline for Weaver, it would obviously be great news for New York if the right-hander can return sooner rather than later. Weaver has been excellent basically ever since the Yankees claimed him off waivers from the Mariners late in the 2023 season, and the reliever has become not just a high-leverage arm but a ninth-inning answer in each of the last two years. The Yankees installed Weaver at closer when Clay Holmes ran into some struggles in 2024, and Weaver received more save situations this year in the wake of Devin Williams’ rough start.

Turning to the lineup, Giancarlo Stanton might finally be closing in on his first on-field action of 2025, as Boone suggested that “a rehab [assignment]’s in play next week.” Stanton has been recovering from torn tendons in both elbows, and since these injuries cost him all of Spring Training, it has been a slow and gradual build as the slugger has gotten back into game shape. His recent work at the Yankees’ spring complex in Tampa has included running drills and multiple live batting-practice sessions.

While Stanton will certainly require multiple rehab games to get him fully ramped up for a return to the majors, the exact length of his rehab stint is to be determined. Since Stanton will be returning to a DH-only role, Boone previously said that Stanton may have something less than a standard rehab assignment, as Stanton will be focusing just on hitting rather than fielding work. If the veteran feels his batting eye and timing are set, it could conceivably be a relatively short time in the minors for Stanton, with his health obviously also a factor.

Stanton is also expected to return to the majors in something less than a full-time capacity as the Yankees’ DH, both in order to ease him back into action and to allow Ben Rice to keep getting some time in the lineup. Rice has cooled off significantly after a scorching start to the season, but he is still hitting .245/.330/.511 with 12 home runs over 209 plate appearances. Most of that playing time has come as a designated hitter, but Rice has also made 10 appearances at first base and four appearances at catcher.

This will remain Rice’s positional usage once Stanton gets back, as SNY’s Andy Martino writes that the Yankees aren’t planning to use Rice as a third baseman. Since Rice recently did some pregame fielding work at the hot corner, some speculation arose that the club might try to include Rice in its third base mix, but Martino poured cold water on that possibility. The left-handed hitting Rice may find himself in something of a platoon with the right-handed hitting Stanton at DH, with Rice also occasionally spelling Paul Goldschmidt at first base and getting the odd game at catcher when Austin Wells or J.C. Escarra need a rest day.

Besides Stanton, Marcus Stroman may also be nearing a rehab assignment, though Boone said any decisions about Stroman’s next steps may wait until after the club sees how he fully recovers from his latest throwing session. Stroman threw around 40 pitches over two innings of a live batting practice on Thursday, and told Boone in the immediate aftermath that his left knee was feeling good.

Inflammation in that left knee has kept Stroman from pitching in a big league game since April 11, though New York hasn’t yet moved Stroman from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL. It has been almost a month since Stroman’s throwing progression was shut down after more knee soreness surfaced after another live BP, so it is understandable why the Yankees are continuing to be cautious with the right-hander’s timeline after this most recent batting practice session.

It is also worth noting that Boone said Stroman will be built up as a starting pitcher, which means Stroman will be returning to his preferred role. Early-season injuries elsewhere in New York’s rotation ensured Stroman would indeed be beginning the year as a starter once more, before his own knee issue created another hole in the starting five. Despite the absences of Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil, and Stroman, the Yankees’ starters have remained one of the better rotations in the league, as Will Warren and especially swingman Ryan Yarbrough have been quite capable fill-ins.

Amidst all of these injuries, the Yankees seem to have dodged another bullet yesterday when scans came back negative on Anthony Volpe’s left elbow. The shortstop was hit in the elbow by a Walker Buehler changeup in the second inning of New York’s 9-6 win over Boston, and Volpe stayed in the game until the top of the fourth. Volpe is day-to-day for now and may be able to avoid an IL stint if the swelling and discomfort lessens in short order.

Yankees Place Luke Weaver On Injured List

By Anthony Franco | June 3, 2025 at 1:40pm CDT

June 3: Weaver is now officially on the IL, per a club announcement. Right-hander Carlos Carrasco has also been designated for assignment. It was reported yesterday that he had been placed on waivers. To replace those two, righty Fernando Cruz has been reinstated from the IL and righty Yerry De Los Santos has been recalled. The club also reinstated infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the IL with fellow infielder Jorbit Vivas optioned down to the minors.

June 2: The Yankees expect to place closer Luke Weaver on the 15-day injured list, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. Weaver injured his hamstring while warming up during Sunday’s game. Passan notes that the team has yet to finalize a timetable but suggests it may be a four-to-six week absence.

Weaver has been one of baseball’s best relievers since landing in the Bronx. He turned in a 2.89 ERA while ranking third in MLB with 84 relief innings last year. Weaver punched out more than 31% of opponents. He recorded 22 holds and supplanted Clay Holmes as Aaron Boone’s closer in September. Weaver saved four more games while adding 15 1/3 frames of three-run ball in the postseason.

The offseason Devin Williams trade was supposed to push Weaver back into the setup role he’d held for the bulk of 2024. That arrangement lasted for around a month. Williams allowed three or more runs in three of his first 10 appearances. The Yankees pulled him from the ninth inning by the end of April, hoping that a setup role would allow him to find his footing in his new home.

Weaver drew back in as closer and has gone 8-9 in save chances. Despite a six-point drop in his strikeout rate, Weaver has been as effective as he was last season. He has only surrendered three runs in 25 2/3 frames. Boone will presumably provide an update on the team’s plans for the ninth inning when he meets with the New York beat before tomorrow’s series opener against the Guardians.

Williams has been far better of late, reeling off scoreless appearances in 10 of his last 11 outings. He’s striking out almost 40% of opponents in that time. Giving him the ninth inning is the most straightforward option. If the Yankees don’t want to do that, perhaps if they’re set on returning the role to Weaver once he’s healthy, then Mark Leiter Jr. or Fernando Cruz would be the other options. Cruz is expected back from shoulder inflammation tomorrow.

If Weaver does wind up requiring a 4-6 week recovery, the Yankees would get him back around the All-Star Break. They’d have a couple weeks to evaluate how their bullpen looks leading up to the trade deadline. Weaver is on track for free agency at the end of the season. He should have plenty of time to return and cement his status among the top two or three relievers in the class. He’ll probably be limited to a three-year deal as he enters his age-32 season, but he should command a strong annual value if he comes back without issue.

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