The Pittsburgh Pirates have surprised many people this season, being directly involved in the wild-card race in the National League.
Pittsburgh holds a record of 56-57 on the year, sitting in third place within the NL Central. The Pirates have a nice collection of young talent, and with a strong end of the year, the decade-plus playoff drought could be over.
With this, there was speculation that Pittsburgh could look to add at the trade deadline this year. And the Pirates have indeed done so.
Pirates Trade For Luke Weaver
Pittsburgh has landed veteran right-hander Luke Weaver from the New York Mets to help bolster the bullpen. Weaver has been excellent for the Mets this year, with the right-hander sporting a 1.84 ERA over 42 appearances.
The Pirates are acquiring Luke Weaver from the Mets, a source tells ESPN.
â Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) August 3, 2026
Weaver now heads to the Pirates to help aid in the postseason quest. The right-hander has benefitted from a strong average against balls in play and an 82.8% strand rate.
The Pirates needed someone like Weaver in the bullpen, giving them more confidence in the late innings. Weaver has proven himself to be a high-leverage relief pitcher, giving the Pirates a reliable arm.
The right-hander has been extremely dominant against right-handed hitters this year, with him posting .099/.167/.155. Left-handers have been a little better on the year, hitting .217/.278/.325.
One reason why Weaver was so highly-coveted by the Pirates was that the right-hander is under team control for next season as well. Pittsburgh covets flexibility with contracts, so Weaver was a no-brainer to target.
The right-hander is scheduled to earn $12 million in 2027, a number that is low enough for the Pirates to stomach. And given his level of production, getting Weaver at this price is a steal for the Pirates.
Weaver becomes the second relief pitcher that the Pirates have added this deadline, joining right-hander Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees. With multiple additions, the Pirates now feel better about the bullpen and will head into the last part of the season looking to make a playoff run.
Luke Weaver Trade Details
In return for Weaver, the Pirates are sending back infielder Sammy Stafura to the Mets. Stafura was the No. 9-ranked prospect in the Pirates system.
Stafura was originally drafted in the second round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds. The 21-year-old was traded to Pittsburgh in the deal that sent KeâBryan Hayes to Cincinnati last year.
At High-A this season, Stafura has hit .301 with 19 home runs and 51 RBIs, while posting an astonishing OPS of 1.021. One intriguing aspect of his game is his speed, with Stafura stealing at least 20 bases in each year of pro ball.
The Pirates were very high on his upside, but to gain a reliever like Weaver, something had to give. Now the Mets will have a chance to see where Stafura’s career will go down the line.
This trade has a chance to be a win-win for both sides, given where each side currently is in terms of contention.
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