The New York Yankees are expected to prioritize pitching upgrades this offseason after injuries and uneven performances weakened both their rotation and bullpen. Among the players hitting free agency, Luke Weaver stands out as one of the more significant departures, given how steady and effective he has been across several seasons in New York. Since arriving in the Bronx, Weaver has delivered a 3.22 ERA across 162 innings—largely in relief—while compiling 3.0 bWAR in 129 outings and producing a strong 127 ERA+. Entering a market short on high-quality relievers, the 31-year-old is positioned to secure a multi-year deal, and his age still gives teams confidence that he can meaningfully contribute. Any contender needing dependable bullpen support would view him as an ideal fit.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report pointed to the San Diego Padres as a logical destination, especially with their rotation stripped of key arms like Michael King and Dylan Cease. As Reuter explained, “With Dylan Cease and Michael King both departing and Yu Darvish out for the season, the Padres will focus their offseason efforts on filling out the rotation, but don’t be surprised if they get creative.” He added that “Luke Weaver has said he is open to returning to a starting role after finding success in the Yankees bullpen, while former D-backs prospect Jon Duplantier is an intriguing name to monitor after he logged a 1.24 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 128 strikeouts in 101.1 innings in Japan in 2025.”
Given San Diego’s history of converting relievers into high-end starters—King being the most recent example—the organization may be tempted to attempt a similar transition with Weaver. The Padres are also expected to explore whether Mason Miller, who moved into a bullpen role with Oakland, could handle a starter’s workload in their system. With so many rotation vacancies and few proven options on the roster, San Diego could decide that giving Weaver another shot as a starter is a worthwhile gamble, especially with his background, durability, and recent consistency.
From Weaver’s standpoint, a club willing to let him compete for a rotation job might be more appealing than returning to full-time relief duty elsewhere, particularly given the long-term earning potential tied to starting pitching. A team like San Diego—desperate for innings and familiar with unconventional solutions—could offer him the clearest path back into that role.