The Baltimore Orioles are looking for help in the back end of their bullpen, and one name has surfaced as a possible answer before the trade deadline: Mets right-hander Luke Weaver.
That idea comes with a pretty clear logic. Ryan Helsley is on the 60-day IL with right elbow inflammation, and while the initial screening showed no structural damage, the Orioles still have a hole to fill if they want another dependable late-inning option during their postseason push.
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden called Weaver the “perfect fit” for Baltimore, and the case is easy to see. As Bowden wrote, "The Orioles need to keep adding to their pitching staff, and [Luke] Weaver would be a solid get.
His ability to pitch multiple innings and even close if needed would give the O’s more flexibility in their bullpen," Bowden wrote. "It is also helpful that he already has familiarity with the AL East from when he was a Yankee."
Weaver has been one of the few bright spots on a Mets team that has underperformed overall. In 39 appearances and 41 innings, he owns a 1.98 ERA with 43 strikeouts and only three home runs allowed.
He also put together a remarkable run from April 31 to July 15 without giving up a run, a stretch that should have put him in strong position for his first All-Star nod.
Weaver’s late-inning experience isn’t new, either. He handled the closer’s role for the Yankees during their run to the 2024 World Series and has looked comfortable in high-leverage spots. For an Orioles club that needs another reliable arm, that kind of versatility stands out.
In Other News...
David Stearns Just Sent Mets Fans A Brutal Deadline Message
As the Mets get ready to open a series against the Dodgers, the front office is already looking past the next few days and into a bigger picture. President of baseball operations David Stearns made it clear the club is keeping its options open heading into the Aug. 3 trade deadline, while also stressing that the organization is thinking about building toward 2027 as it weighs what comes next.
For a fan base hoping the deadline brings help rather than subtraction, that is not exactly the kind of certainty people were looking for. The immediate baseball still matters, with Sean Manaea on the mound for the Mets against Roki Sasaki, but Stearns stance leaves the door open to a far wider range of outcomes than a simple buyers approach. [Read more 🡒]
This Mets Trade Scenario Feels Uncomfortably Familiar For One Big Reason
The idea of the Mets chasing a late-deadline bullpen splash has a familiar ring to it, but the reality is much less tidy than the name value suggests. New York does not have a deep farm system to lean on, and San Diego is not operating like a club ready to strip things down, which makes any conversation about a major closer move far more theoretical than imminent.
That is where the old warning light starts flashing for Mets fans. The organization has been down this road before, when a bold trade package brought back a star reliever and carried plenty of long-term baggage, and the lesson now is that New York is far more likely to protect its young talent until the offseason than force a deal before the deadline. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Suddenly Have A Little Known Lefty Fans Need To Watch
MLB Pipelines latest refresh of the Mets prospect list brought the usual churn, with recent draft picks left out for now and more additions expected by Aug. 3. Jonah Tong still sits atop the group even after a rough stretch, while Elian Pena has climbed, but the more interesting name for Mets fans might be a left-hander working a little farther off the radar in High-A Brooklyn.
The arm drawing attention has paired a sharp ERA with solid strikeout and walk numbers, the kind of line that suggests more than a hot week or two. He was already effective last season, and the step forward in his control has made him harder to ignore, even if the long-term path still points well beyond this summer and leaves plenty to be sorted out before he gets much closer to Queens. [Read more 🡒]