Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Luke Weaver has disclosed that a severe case of poison ivy has significantly impacted his performance and well-being for nearly a month. The condition began shortly after he was traded from the New York Mets to the Pirates at the MLB trade deadline.
Weaver revealed the ongoing struggle, stating he has been battling "severe poison ivy" for approximately four weeks. The issue started in Miami in August when he came into contact with a bush. The reaction led to hives covering his entire lower body and has severely disrupted his sleep.
"To the point where I’ve just been in hives over my entire lower body," Weaver told DK Pittsburgh Sports. "Brushed up against a bush and my body went into a really bad state. I’ve been fighting my own personal battle with sleep. I haven’t slept in about a month, I wake up a lot."
Since joining the Pirates, Weaver has posted a 5.79 ERA in 10 appearances. This performance follows a strong showing with the Mets, where he recorded a 1.84 ERA over 44 innings before the trade.
Pirates manager Don Kelly acknowledged the pitcher's difficulties. "He got a really bad case of it," Kelly said, according to MLB.com. "Just navigating that in a way, trying to help him. I know our medical staff has tried to help him as much as possible to get rid of it. It’s been tough to kick. It was a really tough case. He’s doing a lot better now."
Kelly confirmed that the ailment had been ongoing for some time. Weaver was acquired by the Pirates in exchange for infielder Sammy Stafura, the club's No. 9 prospect.