Bullpen star Weaver to Pirates; Mets get No. 9 prospect Stafura

NEW YORK -- The Pirates’ fraught bullpen situation received another major upgrade on Monday, when Pittsburgh acquired right-handed reliever Luke Weaver and cash considerations from the Mets for shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura.

Of the Mets’ many obvious trade candidates, Weaver ranked among the most valuable because unlike their impending free agents, he had one year and $12.5 million remaining on his contract after this season. That’s a steal for a reliever who has ranked among the best in baseball, going unscored upon for all of May and June.

Stafura ranked ninth on the Pirates' Top 30 Prospects list, and he'll slot in at No. 10 for the Mets.

TRADE DETAILS
Pirates receive: RHP Luke Weaver, cash
Mets receive: SS Sammy Stafura (NYM No. 10 prospect)

A starting pitcher earlier in his career with the Cardinals, Diamondbacks and Reds, Weaver still relies on a similar three-pitch mix as the one he used back then. It starts with a mid-90s fastball, then continues often with changeups to left-handers and cutters to righties. Key to Weaver’s game is control; among pitchers who strike out at least a batter per inning, Weaver features one of the lowest walk rates in the league.

The result has been a late-career breakout for Weaver, who finished the 2023 season with a 5.14 career ERA. Since becoming a full-time reliever in 2024 with the Yankees, he has pitched to a sub-3.00 ERA with 13 career saves, proving capable of pitching the ninth.

Last offseason, the Mets signed Weaver to a two-year, $22 million contract, hoping he could become a long-term setup solution ahead of closer Devin Williams, just as he was in the Bronx. He wound up proving more valuable than Williams at the back of New York’s bullpen.

While it remains to be seen how Weaver will slot into Pittsburgh’s relief corps, the Pirates have relied mostly on left-hander Gregory Soto and righty Mason Montgomery in high-leverage spots, including closing. Weaver and recent acquisition Camilo Doval will now add to that mix. While Weaver has been devastating against right-handed hitters, who have mustered only a .322 OPS against him, he has also held lefties to a .603 mark.

The Pirates entered Monday’s play ranked 23rd in the Majors with a 4.34 bullpen ERA. They were fourth in the league with 217 walks and tied for sixth with 19 blown saves.

Stafura is a Cortlandt, N.Y., native who grew up a Mets fan in the Hudson Valley. A second-round pick of the Reds in 2023, Stafura moved to Pittsburgh in the Ke’Bryan Hayes trade last Deadline, then to New York for Weaver. Stafura was Pittsburgh No. 9 prospect, and will slot 10th for the Mets.

Stafura overcame a partially torn UCL in January and a pulled hamstring in early May to produce a .960 OPS in 60 games split between Low-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro. He's played multiple infield positions, but played mainly at shortstop for Greensboro.

“Mentally I'm believing that I'm the best player on the field and acting like that every single day," Stafura said recently of his mindset. "I think that's been one of the biggest parts this year, at least, is just believing that I am the person I am. I've started acting like that the past month, and it's been showing pretty well.”

The Pirates added a couple more bullpen arms just before the Deadline on Monday, trading for Angels veteran right-hander Kirby Yates and right-hander Lake Bachar from the Marlins.