The New York Mets have been busy reshaping their roster over the past year, and if you’ve been paying attention, you’ve probably noticed a trend: a surprising number of their new additions are former Yankees. It’s not every day you see this much crossover between the two New York clubs, especially in such a short span of time.
Let’s walk through it.
In November, the Mets traded away longtime outfielder Brandon Nimmo. Before that, they let two franchise cornerstones-slugger Pete Alonso and closer Edwin Díaz-walk in free agency.
That kind of turnover would be headline-worthy on its own, but it’s who they’ve brought in that’s raising eyebrows. Juan Soto and Clay Holmes joined the team last year.
This offseason, the Mets added Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to the bullpen. That’s four players with recent Yankees ties, and the offseason isn’t over yet.
Michael Kay, the longtime voice of the Yankees on YES Network, weighed in on the situation during a segment on ESPN New York. And let’s just say, he didn’t hold back.
From his perspective, the Mets aren’t just signing former Yankees-they’re signing players the Yankees didn’t want back. The lone exception?
Juan Soto. According to Kay, the Yankees were very much interested in keeping Soto.
But Holmes, Williams, and Weaver? Not so much.
“Even Mets fans will have to admit, it’s an odd look,” Kay said. “You’re putting guys together that the Yankees didn’t want there anymore.
Except for Soto. The Yankees definitely wanted Soto.
They didn’t want Clay Holmes back. They didn’t want Devin Williams back.”
And then there’s Luke Weaver, who just inked a two-year, $22 million deal with the Mets. Kay pointed out that the Yankees didn’t appear to make any serious effort to retain him-certainly not at that price tag.
“From the reports that I’m seeing, they didn’t have any interactions with Luke Weaver. Certainly not for $11 million [per year],” Kay said.
“There was value in having a guy like that pitch expertly for $2.5 million. But you jack it up to $11 million?
It doesn’t work like that with the Yankees.”
Weaver’s path to free agency was shaped by a rollercoaster 2025 season. After taking over the closer role from Clay Holmes midway through the 2024 campaign, Weaver held down the ninth inning for the Yankees during their World Series run.
But 2025 told a different story. He lost the closer job and saw his numbers dip.
Kay believes that played into the Yankees’ decision to move on.
“I like Luke Weaver a lot,” Kay said. “He did not pitch as well in 2025 as he did in 2024, when he was the closer on the team that went to the World Series.
So maybe the Yankees said to themselves, ‘We got everything we could get out of Luke Weaver. We love him, but if he can get something somewhere else, then that’s what he should do.’”
The numbers back up the narrative. In 2024, Weaver threw 84.0 innings with a 2.89 ERA and 103 strikeouts, collecting four saves.
This past season, he logged 64.2 innings with a 3.62 ERA, eight saves, and 72 strikeouts. Not terrible by any stretch, but not quite the same dominance he showed a year prior.
Now, in Queens, he’s expected to serve as the setup man for Devin Williams-another former Yankee who had his own struggles in the Bronx. Williams, once one of the most dominant relievers in the game, didn’t quite find his groove in pinstripes, which may have contributed to the Yankees’ decision not to bring him back.
And the list of potential Mets-Yankees crossovers might not be done yet. Cody Bellinger, who had a standout 2025 season in the Bronx after the Yankees pivoted to him when they lost out on Soto, is still on the market.
He turned down a $22.05 million qualifying offer and is one of the most sought-after free agents this winter. If the Mets swoop in and land him too, it would be yet another high-profile defection from the Bronx to Queens.
So, is it strange to see the Mets collecting former Yankees? Sure.
But in baseball, talent acquisition isn’t about optics-it’s about performance, fit, and opportunity. The Mets clearly believe these players can help them win now, regardless of where they played last season.
Whether that gamble pays off, especially at the price tags they’ve handed out, is something we’ll be watching closely in 2026.