Luke Weaver arrived at the Mets’ spring training facility in Port St. Lucie on Monday morning, ready to start a new chapter in Queens.
But it wasn’t his fastball or bullpen session that caught attention-it was the gear he brought with him. Specifically, a Yankees duffel bag slung over his shoulder.
That detail didn’t sit well with some, especially longtime Yankees broadcaster and ESPN radio host Michael Kay, who called out the optics of the move on his show.
“Show a little respect,” Kay said, expressing what many Mets fans might’ve been thinking. “The Mets deserve better than that.”
Now, let’s be clear-this isn’t about a piece of luggage. It’s about perception, professionalism, and the subtle but very real rivalry between two franchises that share a city but not much else.
When a player switches sides in New York, especially from the Bronx to Flushing, there’s an unspoken expectation to embrace the new colors, the new clubhouse, and the new identity. And while Weaver’s use of his old Yankees bag might seem like a small oversight, it raised eyebrows for good reason.
Weaver signed a two-year, $22 million deal with the Mets this offseason after the Yankees opted not to re-sign him, citing cost concerns. The Mets, meanwhile, saw value in his arm and added him to a bullpen that’s undergone a significant makeover-including the additions of fellow ex-Yankees relievers Devin Williams and Clay Holmes.
So yes, Weaver is now a Met-and a well-compensated one at that. Which is why Kay’s point wasn’t just about the bag, but about the message it sends.
“All you had to do was call up the Mets at some point during the offseason and say, ‘Listen, can you send me an equipment bag so that when I come to Port St. Lucie, I’m carrying a Met equipment bag with blue and orange rather than the Yankees midnight blue and white,’” Kay said.
It’s not about being petty. It’s about optics.
About showing up and fully leaning into the team that just made a financial commitment to you. In a city where every detail is scrutinized-and where fans live and breathe their teams-something as simple as the logo on your duffel bag can become a talking point.
Kay acknowledged the moment wasn’t catastrophic. “Is it the end of the world?
Of course, it’s not,” he said. “But goodness, have some consideration for the team that just paid you a lot of money.”
Weaver will have plenty of time to make his mark with the Mets, and ultimately, what he does on the mound will matter far more than what bag he carries. But in New York, where symbolism carries weight and rivalries run deep, even the smallest gestures can echo loudly.