According to sources, Clay Holmes, a former closer for the Yankees, was the most recent addition to the Mets’ starting rotation reconstruction, moving up to the fourth place on Friday. Holmes agreed to a $38 million, three-year contract with a two-year option.
The Mets still have two spots available if a six-man rotation—which now consists of Kodai Senga, Frankie Montas, David Peterson, and Holmes—is the goal. At next week’s Winter Meetings in Dallas, those positions might be filled, but it seems unlikely the Mets will be adding any well-known players.
It’s evident that David Stearns, the president of baseball operations for the Mets, is not interested in committing starting pitchers to long-term contracts during his second offseason. In order to demonstrate his faith in the team’s innovative pitching lab and its coaches, he will instead take chances on players who have something to prove.
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Last season, Luis Severino and Sean Manaea were successful with this tactic.
Severino changed his approach in Queens, depending more on contact than strikeouts, following the Yankees’ worst season of 2023. He had a rise in his ground ball percentage (45.2%) by using his sinker more frequently, going from 2.8% in 2023 to 24.8%.
Consequently, he had his first season since 2018 in which he was completely healthy, recording a 3.91 ERA with 161 strikeouts in 31 appearances, including his second complete game of the season.This summer, he signed a three-year, $67 million contract with the A’s.
With a 12-6 record, a 3.47 ERA, and 184 strikeouts over 181 2/3 innings, Manaea outperformed Severino and referred to 2024 as his best season. He will land a bigger deal than Severino.
It also convinced Montason, a recent arrival, to sign with the Mets.
On Friday, Montas told reporters, “Severino just told me how much they helped him physically, mentally, like pitching-wise, how to become a better pitcher, you know.”
Who is able to complete the rotation?
Tylor Megill and Jos Butt are two in-house candidates the Mets might use for the next two spots in the rotation.
Butt, who is a born starter, was a standout reliever in the previous year. The right-hander, who made 23 appearances and gave up eight runs in 26 innings (2.00 ERA), was an innings eater out of the bullpen.
Butt has a 3.76 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 74 strikeouts in 79 innings in 15 major league starts. Although he is probably more suited for the bullpen, he might be a back-end starter in the rotation.
Megill had the best season-ending stats of his career while bouncing between Triple-A and the major leagues the previous season. In 16 appearances (15 starts), posted a career-best 4.04 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 78 innings. Last season, he set a career high with a strikeout percentage of 27%, which topped all Mets starters.
Although they are more affordable possibilities, Butt and Megill are better suited for depth roles because they still have several years of club control. While the other can test the market in 2028, the former won’t be able to sign a contract until 2030.
Would the Mets consider Andrew Heaney, a left-hander? Former Yankee Heaney has had excellent strikeout ability in the past, averaging 10.4 SO/9 from 2016 to 2022. He is also a once-highly regarded pitcher who still has work to do.
Heaney recorded a 4.28 ERA with 159 strikeouts in 160 innings during his 32 appearances (31 starts) with the Texas Rangers in the previous season.
Heaney would probably agree to a short-term deal worth between $10 and $11 million a season.
Jack Flaherty, who is a right-hander, is another potential choice. With a 3.17 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 162 innings, Flaherty had a breakout season between the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers the previous season.
Flaherty, 29, is younger and can make sure the adjustments he made last season stay with the Mets’ pitching organization, but he will demand more money. For New York, a multi-year contract for about $20 million a season might be enough to avoid having to pay top dollar for a free agency pitcher.
You can contact Manny G. Mez at [email protected].
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