Luke Weaver Drawing Interest From 2 NL Central Teams

The New York Mets are getting ahead of the MLB trade deadline buzz. First, they sent pitcher David Peterson to the Chicago Cubs. 

On Thursday, the Mets made another trade, sending left-handed reliever A.J. Minter to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for two prospects. 

The Mets received shortstop Bruin Agbayani and third baseman Billy Amick in exchange for the veteran reliever. 

Another reliever drawing interest is Luke Weaver, who is under control for another season, and now two National League Central teams are showing interest, according to a report from Will Sammon of The Athletic. 

Those two teams are the Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates. 

"The Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates are among the teams showing strong interest in New York Mets right-handed reliever Luke Weaver, according to people briefed on the conversations who were not authorized to speak freely. There is high interest around the league in Weaver, who is owed $2.4 million after Aug. 3 with another $11 million due in 2027," Sammon wrote on Friday. 

Weaver, who turns 33 in mid-August, has a 2-1 record with a 1.88 ERA in 41 appearances. He spent the previous three seasons with the New York Yankees, and in total, he has played for seven different teams: The St. Louis Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, and Seattle Mariners before spending time with both New York teams. 

Weaver and Minter have been labeled as players most likely to be moved given their contract status and teams across the league always looking for bullpen help, especially at this time of the year. 

Sammon even added that teams regard Weaver as the best reliever on the market aside from San Diego Padres superstar closer Mason Miller, and nobody knows what Padres GM A.J. Preller is doing when it comes to this year's deadline. 

There is a path to a trade with both teams, and it was revealed that New York has interest in a few Pittsburgh prospects: Murf Gray and Sammy Stafura.

The Brewers have been linked to a Tarik Skubal trade, although the Los Angeles Dodgers are rumored to be the favorites to land the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner. 

Pittsburgh, who is normally a seller, is right in the playoff hunt, and are reportedly making an effort to improve the team in hopes of making a postseason push. 

At this rate, Luke Weaver will be traded, and now it just comes down to which team gives the Mets the best offer.