The Pittsburgh Pirates traded for one of the best
As Monday carried on without the Pittsburgh Pirates making any moves, many started to wonder whether or not the front office would actually be big buyers ahead of the trade deadline.
However, the Pirates made a trade with the New York Mets to acquire pitcher Luke Weaver, per ESPN's Jorge Castillo. Pittsburgh is sending back SS Sammy Stafura (No. 9 prospect) to their National League counterpart.
Leading up to the deadline, Pittsburgh's biggest need was clearly more help in the back end of the bullpen. The Pirates are getting just that with their trade for Weaver and Camilo Doval a few days earlier.
Weaver was always viewed as a perfect trade candidate for the Pirates. With the Mets being out of the playoff race, there was never any reason to hold onto the veteran arm, and the Pirates took advantage of that.
The biggest hurdle in any potential Weaver deal came down to the finances and whether the Pirates would be willing to increase their payroll in a trade.
Weaver signed a two-year $22 million deal over the offseason. At this point, it's still unclear whether the Pirates are taking on the entire contract or the Mets are eating some of the money.
Aug 2, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Luke Weaver (30) walks off the field after the top of the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn ImagesThe most important part of this deal is that Pittsburgh gets one of the best relievers available on the trade market to fortify the bullpen.
Weaver is having a career year with the New York Mets, logging a 1.84 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP in 42 appearances.
The right-handers' advanced numbers are still very strong, too. Weaver has a chase rate of 34 percent (83rd percentile), a whiff rate of 30.4 percent (84th percentile), and a strikeout rate of 26.6 percent (77th percentile).
In terms of what role Weaver will have with the Pirates, there's a very good chance he immediately becomes the team's closer.
The 32-year-old only has one save on the season, but has plenty of experience as a closer during his time with the New York Yankees. Weaver will likely slide into being Pittsburgh's go-to ninth-inning arm from here on out.
There are still a few hours left before the official deadline of 6:00 PM EST, and the Pirates have already addressed their biggest need by acquiring multiple high-leverage arms. Pittsburgh could still benefit from another right-handed hitter, though.
Does Ben Cherington still have another move up his sleeve?
