The New York Mets have important decisions to make as they prepare for the 2027 MLB season, and rebuilding their bullpen should be among their biggest priorities. Following the departures of Luke Weaver and Huascar Brazoban, the organization has created openings that could require more than internal roster adjustments to address effectively.
Although the Mets have several pitchers who could compete for bullpen positions, bringing in an experienced reliever would provide valuable depth and stability. One potential candidate who deserves serious consideration is former New York Yankees pitcher Jonathan Loáisiga, whose recent performance with the Arizona Diamondbacks has strengthened his case for another opportunity in New York.
The Mets have become familiar with acquiring former Yankees players in recent seasons. While Loáisiga would not be coming directly from the Bronx, his background and pitching profile make him an intriguing option for a team looking to strengthen its relief corps.
METS NEED AN EXPERIENCED ARM AFTER WEAVER’S DEPARTURE
Trading Weaver and Brazoban has left the Mets with two bullpen vacancies that could influence their offseason plans. Both pitchers had been under team control through at least 2027, making their departures significant when considering the club’s preparations for the upcoming campaign.
The Mets can explore internal replacements, but relying exclusively on their existing options might not be the best approach. Every competitive team needs dependable relievers who can handle difficult situations, particularly during the later innings of close games.
New York already has Devin Williams projected to serve as its closer. However, having a reliable alternative would provide additional protection against injuries, inconsistent performances, or unexpected changes in the bullpen hierarchy.
The seventh and eighth innings are particularly important because mistakes during those moments can quickly change the outcome of a game. Finding someone capable of handling those responsibilities would give the Mets greater flexibility when managing their pitching staff.
Adrian Morejón could also be a potential consideration, but his situation might complicate the team’s search. If the San Diego Padres extend him a qualifying offer, pursuing him could require New York to surrender valuable draft selections and international bonus-pool money.
The Mets might be reluctant to pay such a significant price for a pitcher they do not necessarily intend to use as their primary closer.
That situation could make Loáisiga an attractive alternative, especially if the organization can negotiate a reasonable contract that reflects his experience and recent production.
WHY JONATHAN LOÁISIGA COULD BE A STRONG FIT
Loáisiga has previously attracted interest from the Mets, suggesting that the organization has considered his potential value before. His latest campaign with Arizona has provided another reason for New York to examine the possibility of bringing him aboard.
After spending time with the Yankees, the right-handed reliever took on a more prominent role with the Diamondbacks. His performance demonstrated that he could contribute beyond simply filling an emergency bullpen position.
Loáisiga recorded a 2.42 ERA while appearing in 67 games for Arizona. He also completed 67 innings, showing a level of availability that has not always been consistent throughout his major-league career.
His workload is particularly encouraging because it marked only the second time he had surpassed 50 innings during a big-league season.
For a team seeking dependable relief options, that development matters. A pitcher who can remain available throughout the season gives a manager more choices when navigating a demanding schedule.
Loáisiga also finished 17 games for the Diamondbacks. Although that figure does not automatically establish him as a traditional closer, it indicates that he received opportunities in situations where the team needed him to complete important appearances.
His experience could therefore prove valuable to the Mets, particularly if they want another reliever who can handle pressure without necessarily competing for the ninth-inning role.
A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO GETTING OUTS
One of Loáisiga’s biggest strengths is his ability to limit damaging contact.
Some relief pitchers depend heavily on strikeouts to escape difficult situations. Others succeed by encouraging hitters to make contact without producing dangerous results. Loáisiga belongs more closely to the second category.
His 2.42 ERA reflects his ability to prevent opponents from consistently turning scoring opportunities into runs. His home-run rate of approximately 0.4 per nine innings also highlights how effectively he limited one of baseball’s most damaging outcomes.
Allowing fewer home runs can be especially important when pitching late in close games. A single mistake can erase a lead, and a reliever who limits the damage opponents can produce offers a different kind of protection.
Loáisiga’s walk rate provides another encouraging statistic. He averaged approximately 1.7 walks per nine innings, demonstrating an ability to avoid giving opposing hitters unnecessary opportunities to reach base.
Limiting walks is particularly important for a pitcher who does not rely primarily on overwhelming strikeout numbers. By reducing free passes, Loáisiga can put himself in better positions to escape innings without allowing multiple baserunners.
His profile is not identical to Weaver’s, but that difference does not necessarily make him a less valuable option.
Weaver offered greater strikeout potential, while Loáisiga brings a ground-ball-oriented approach and a demonstrated ability to limit runs. The Mets could benefit from having both types of pitchers available rather than attempting to duplicate the exact skill set of their departed reliever.
HIS GROUND-BALL ABILITY COULD BENEFIT NEW YORK
Another important element of Loáisiga’s pitching profile is his consistent ability to generate ground balls.
During his Arizona campaign, he recorded a ground-ball rate of 54.3 percent. His career rate stands at approximately 54.4 percent, considerably higher than the league average of 42.3 percent cited in the original report.
Those numbers illustrate how frequently he encourages hitters to send the ball toward the infield rather than lifting it into the air.
Ground-ball pitchers can be particularly useful when runners are on base. A well-placed ground ball can produce a double play, allowing a reliever to escape a threatening situation without needing to strike out every batter.
This approach also complements a bullpen featuring pitchers with different strengths. Instead of relying on strikeouts in every important situation, the Mets could turn to Loáisiga when inducing weak contact or keeping the ball on the ground becomes the preferred strategy.
His fastball provides another reason for optimism. Averaging approximately 97.2 mph, his four-seam fastball offers considerable velocity, even though his overall approach does not depend on overpowering hitters with strikeouts.
Opponents hit just .148 against that pitch, according to the statistics cited in the original report.
That combination of velocity and contact management could make him a useful addition to New York’s relief options.
REPLACING WEAVER WILL REQUIRE A DIFFERENT KIND OF RELIEVER
The Mets should be careful not to judge every potential replacement solely by comparing strikeout totals or saves.
Weaver’s departure creates a need for dependable bullpen production, but the best replacement does not necessarily have to reproduce every aspect of his performance.
Although Weaver recorded 12 saves during portions of three seasons with the Yankees, saves alone do not fully explain his value as a reliever. His overall effectiveness and ability to handle important innings are equally relevant considerations.
Loáisiga would offer a different approach. Rather than attempting to replicate Weaver’s strikeout-heavy style, he could provide New York with a pitcher who limits walks, generates ground balls, and makes it difficult for opponents to produce substantial damage.
The Mets have shown interest in building a bullpen with a variety of pitching styles. Adding Loáisiga would fit that philosophy while giving the manager another experienced right-handed option.
The financial side of the decision would also matter. His recent performance makes him an interesting candidate, but the Mets would still need to determine whether his contract demands fit their offseason budget and broader roster plans.
COULD ANOTHER FORMER YANKEE MAKE SENSE FOR THE METS?
The possibility of Loáisiga joining the Mets continues a familiar theme in New York baseball: players associated with the Yankees potentially finding opportunities across town.
However, this potential move would be about more than the rivalry between the two clubs. The Mets need to address genuine bullpen vacancies, and Loáisiga has several characteristics that could help them do so.
His recent durability, strong run prevention, low walk rate, and ground-ball production make him a credible offseason target.
There are still questions to consider. His limited history of consistently surpassing 50 innings means the Mets would need to evaluate whether his latest workload signals a lasting improvement in durability. They would also have to determine how his performance translates into their own bullpen structure.
Nevertheless, the opportunity deserves attention.
Ultimately, Jonathan Loáisiga could provide the Mets with a practical solution to part of their bullpen problem heading into 2027. He may not be a direct statistical replacement for Luke Weaver, but his strengths could help New York maintain a reliable relief corps.
If the Mets want an experienced right-hander capable of handling important middle-to-late innings, Loáisiga could emerge as one of their more intriguing free-agent possibilities.
The organization still has decisions to make, and no signing should be considered inevitable. But with Weaver and Brazoban gone, adding a dependable arm such as Loáisiga could be a sensible step toward building a more versatile bullpen for the 2027 season.
