Ever since Luke Weaver got off to a slow start in his first few appearances with the Mets, he has been absolutely lights out. He currently has an ERA of 1.93 and even had a scoreless innings streak that reached 25 innings. He has looked like an absolute stud in the bullpen for the Mets. Sadly, it is becoming more and more likely that the team will move on from Weaver at the trade deadline. Even though Weaver is still under contract for another season after this one, the Mets should 100% look to move on from him; it makes too much sense not to.
Why the Mets Should Trade Weaver at the Deadline
Weaver is quite possibly the most valued asset the franchise currently has, aside from someone like Clay Holmes. With how dominant Weaver is and with the playoff experience he had in the past with the New York Yankees, tons of contenders would be dying to have a setup man like Weaver on their squad. Some teams can even use him as a closer if need be. There will be many teams vying for him, so there are many possibilities for where he moves on to.
The haul the Mets could get for Weaver would be huge, and that is why trading him would make more sense than keeping him for next season. The team can certainly get some top 100 prospects for Weaver, and this will be a huge success for the future of this franchise. With many teams linked to Weaver, such as the Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, and even his former team, the Yankees, it seems as if the Mets won’t struggle in finding a trade partner to send Weaver to.
It Will Sting To Lose Weaver, but Will Be Worth It in the Long Run
With bullpen pitchers, they always seem to be expendable, so when a team trades them, they know it won’t be a big loss. Whether transitioning a starter to a reliever role, or free agency, or a small trade, the Mets should be fine with moving on, as there are other ways for them to replace him. Teams will most likely overpay for a guy like Weaver, as we’ve seen other teams do in years past, and this franchise should be excited to see what they can get for him.
Now it will certainly suck for fans, considering Weaver has been one of the more consistent bright spots in a lost season, but as of right now, he has too much value for the Mets to let this deadline go by and not move on from him. As much as there may be sentimental value, they have to see the bigger picture, and that is seeing what prospects or younger players under team control they can get for the future.
Is It Certain That Weaver Gets Dealt?
Is there any certainty in the rumors that Weaver does get dealt? Absolutely not. There may be a world in which the Mets look to keep him for that extra year of his contract and build around him and Devin Williams in the bullpen. However, it is more likely that he does go rather than stays put before the August 3 deadline.
David Stearns has just about a week left to figure out what he will do with the few that do have trade value on this team. It will be interesting to see what value he gets for these guys at the deadline, considering they are in sell mode, and for Mets fans, you should prepare for a world in which Weaver is one of those players shipped off.
Main Photo Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
