Luke Weaver's odd fan response adds another strange wrinkle to Yankees-Mets 'rivalry'

It's going to take Luke Weaver some more time to realize he's no longer playing for the New York Yankees.

New footage of Weaver interacting with a young New York Mets fan at camp revealed that while Weaver still knows how to say all the right things, his heart is still dressed in pinstripes.

Luke Weaver's feeble Mets endorsement to fan shows he still loves Yankees

The young fan shouted at Weaver, "The Mets are better than the Yankees, you made the right choice!"

It was a light-hearted moment, and Weaver dutifully complied in his response, but he did so with a hint of a grimace and an overwhelming air of hesitancy that screamed Yankees loyalty.

In Weaver's defense, why should he feel any differently? The right-hander hasn't pitched a single inning for his new franchise yet, and he's coming off a three-year stint with the Yankees that changed his career and life.

As much as professional athletes are expected to transform their loyalties as rapidly as they can be traded (or signed by a new club in free agency), these are human beings.

Weaver has a ton of love for the Yankees organization running through his veins. He wasn't afraid to admit this offseason that he wanted to return to the Bronx, despite Yankees general manager failing to make Weaver an offer.

The professional approach for Weaver this spring would be to forget all about his Yankees career and embrace being a Met. And that will come in due time, but it's still early.

When Weaver showed up to Mets camp carrying a Yankees equipment bag, it was the ultimate symbol that Weaver is still caught in the purgatory between his baseball past and future, and that's fine. That's what the offseason is for.

Weaver's obvious affinity for the Yankees adds a unique wrinkle to the crosstown rivalry. Tradition says that Weaver is supposed to hate the Yankees now, but that's not going to happen, even if he says he does to be politically correct.

We saw a less intense version of this recently with Juan Soto unabashedly admitting that he missed playing with Aaron Judge.

For better or worse, all of the player-sharing hasn't added vitriol to this rivalry, but a kind of deference. It's as if Weaver -- and to a lesser extent, Soto -- are taking the logical route and plainly acknowledging that both New York clubs are well worth playing for.

This tames the rivalry, for sure, but just wait until Weaver faces his old club for the first time in 2026. Suddenly, all of that deference will fly out the window.