PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Pirates made a significant push to improve their beleaguered bullpen at the trade deadline Monday, acquiring veteran right-hander Luke Weaver from the New York Mets.
Pittsburgh, looking to end a decade-long playoff drought, sent 21-year-old shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura to the Mets in exchange for the 32-year-old Weaver.
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The addition of Weaver signals an unusually aggressive financial push by the typically frugal Pirates. Weaver is in the first season of a $22 million, two-year contract.
The move comes with Pittsburgh's bid for a National League wild card flickering a bit following a 2-7 stretch in which the bullpen faltered repeatedly, most notably in an 8-7 loss to Cincinnati last Friday when a two-run lead in the eighth inning quickly evaporated.
The Pirates have blown 20 of 42 save opportunities this season and already released reliever Dennis Santana, who began the year splitting the closing duties with Gregory Soto.
Pittsburgh also added two more right-handed relievers — two-time All Star Kirby Yates of the Los Angeles Angels and Lake Bachar of the Miami Marlins — right before the deadline. Weaver, Yates and Bachar will join a bullpen that's undergone a significant makeover in the last week. The Pirates brought in former All-Star reliever Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees on Saturday. Doval allowed a run in one inning of work during his Pirates debut in a loss to Cincinnati on Sunday.
Weaver had been one of the few bright spots this season for the last-place Mets, going 2-1 with a 1.84 ERA and one save in 42 appearances. A converted starting pitcher, Weaver has been excellent since moving to the bullpen full-time in 2024 with the New York Yankees. He has a 13-8 record with a 2.90 ERA and 13 saves in 168 games with the Mets and Yankees over the last two-plus seasons.
Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly called Weaver's experience a plus for a young staff, most of whom are in a playoff race for the first time. Weaver excelled during the 2024 postseason with the Yankees, recording four saves and posting a 1.76 ERA while helping New York to the World Series.
“The demeanor and just the way he goes about things is something that has stood out to me from the other side, and how he stays poised and continues to attack the strike zone,” Kelly said. "He’s been really good against righties and has had success against left-handers as well.”
While the Pirates could use Weaver as a closer, he's more likely to see action in high-leverage situations before the ninth.
“I’m sure he’s going to close some games, and I’m sure that we’ll see him in the seventh and eighth,” Kelly said. "He’s going to pitch in big spots.”
Yates also has plenty of experience in significant moments. The 39-year-old led the National League with 41 saves in 2019 with San Diego and was an All-Star in 2024 for the Texas Rangers. He is 0-5 with a 3.95 ERA in 31 games this season with the Angels.
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AP freelance writer Rich Rovito in Milwaukee contributed to this report.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb