After being quiet for much of the offseason, the Mets have been more active in recent weeks, bring Jay Bruce back to Queens on a three-year deal and reportedly agreeing to a two-year pact with Todd Frazier. And now that they’ve satisfied their needs in the infield and outfield for the most part, the team could turn its focus to the starting pitching. Both MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo and the New York Daily News’ John Harper reported Tuesday that the Mets could look to the open market for some support in the rotation.
DiComo suggests that the Mets are keeping an eye out for rotation help but don’t consider it as much of a priority as an infielder was, whereas Harper characterizes the need a bit more aggressively, writing that a source told him that the Mets are “serious” about looking at rotation possibilities. Meanwhile, the Record’s Matt Ehalt suggests that if the team adds a rotation arm, it’ll likely be an affordable source of innings rather than a top starter with draft compensation attached (Twitter links). Ehalt also notes that a lefty reliever is another area of focus for the Mets.
Starting pitching was a strength during the Mets’ 2015 World Series run, as the team rode strong performances from Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey plus veterans Jon Niese and Bartolo Colon to an NL pennant that season. Steven Matz made his big league debut that season as well and impressed in six starts.
However, the Mets’ rotation was in shambles for much of the 2017 season, with Syndergaard, Harvey, Matz, Zack Wheeler and Seth Lugo among the rotation pieces that missed significant time due to injury. Only deGrom held up and made a full season’s worth of starts, logging 201 innings over the course of 31 trips to the hill.
All of the team’s rotation options that were limited in 2017 are expected to be healthy for Spring Training, but the general lack of stability surrounding them is an unequivocal cause for concern. Harvey has undergone both Tommy John surgery and thoracic outlet surgery in recent years. Matz’s career, both in the minors and Majors, has been punctuated by shoulder and elbow troubles. Wheeler was torched for an ERA north of 5.00 in his first season back after two years lost to Tommy John surgery. Syndergaard pitched just 30 1/3 innings last year due to a torn lat muscle.
The question for the Mets, at this point, is one of how much ownership will be willing to spend to bolster the starting corps after already signing Frazier, Bruce, Anthony Swarzak and Jose Reyes this offseason. The Mets still project for a payroll that comes in south of last year’s Opening Day mark, and as was the case in 2017, they’ll recoup $15MM or so of the $20MM owed to David Wright this year by virtue of the insurance policy on his contract (assuming that Wright once again is relegated to the 60-day DL for much, if not all of the season).
Harper, within his column, opines that Lance Lynn would be an ideal fit for the Mets, though there’s been no serious indication to this point that the Mets would play for any of the top four starters on the market, particularly those wiho rejected a qualifying offer. In addition to Ehalt’s report, GM Sandy Alderson recently expressed reluctance to pursue Mike Moustakas in part due to draft compensation, and the team ultimately elected to bring Frazier into the fold instead.
While Lynn, Alex Cobb, Jake Arrieta and Yu Darvish aren’t in the fold (Darvish due to general price tag, the others due to price and draft compensation), the market for starters has scarcely moved at all this winter, so Alderson & Co. have plenty of alternatives. Other available options for the club would include Jaime Garcia, Andrew Cashner and old friend Jason Vargas. Bounceback candidates still exist in the form of Chris Tillman and Hector Santiago, while less exciting but durable innings eaters still available include Ricky Nolasco and Wade Miley.
The Mick gonna fix Harvey or is he done? I’m gonna go with latter.
I will miss Mickey. He did wonders in Cleveland.
His impact on the staff really is the x-factor for the Mets this year. Harvey in a contract year you hope bounces back and after that can Mickey get any of Wheeler, Matz, Lugo or Gsellman on the right track? The talent and potential is there, it’s up to Callaway to tap into that potential.
Funny how the mets are always criticized for not spending or not doing anything, but yet in this slow moving market they’ve probably been one of the more active teams in the league.
The Mets are still below their ‘17 payroll. With insurance covering $15m of Wright’s $20m, their payroll falls right around 15th or so. They come from the #1 market and have been in the playoffs two of the last three years (including 1WS)…but they STILL act like a small market team trying to compete with mid-market teams. Their ownership sucks, but they get protection from the MLB and somehow other owners love Fred. I don’t get it.
The Mets signing guys to $8.5m/yr and $13m/yr is what you’d expect from MIN or KC. BOS is about to be stupid w JDM, and the top 4 pitchers are still unsigned. Let’s see the Mets actually bid against other teams for quality talent, not just poke through the clearance rack.
I hope you’re wrong, but given the Mets and Harvey’s history, it doesn’t look good. On the other hand, a Harvey bounce back is far more likely than a return of DW.
Mets are at least putting together a team. Will the team be any good? Who knows? But beyond the Nationals that division is a disaster so maybe they can be competitive
Mets looks really good if they’re competing for a World Series title in 2012-2013.
That rotation if healthy could lead them to a playoff race in July, they’re potentially that good in my opinion. In today’s game you just need to get into July in a good position and who knows what you can get a deadline and plug your holes then.
Hard team to peg but because of their division I could see them making a wildcard if everything breaks right for them if they beat up on the marlins, Phillies and Braves.
Darvish doesn’t have any draft pick compensation attached. He was traded midseason.
Where’s all that stolen Mets fan’s money Wilpon?
I want Yu!
True, but there is no way the Coupons will pony up the cash.
How is Jason Vargas an old friend?
He and Sandy like to knit sweaters together.
Cuz he pitched for them in ‘07…
Sign Arrietta to a 3 year deal with a
1st year opt out. The Yoenis.
Send Wheeler and/or Harvey to the pen.
A durable 5th starter is all they really need for the rotation. It’s not unreasonable to hope DeGrom and Syndergaard are an elite top 2. It’s also not unreasonable to hope that between Harvey, Matz, Wheeler, Lugo, and Gsellman that two of those 5 can hold down the 3rd and 4th starter slots, and maybe even be good. They can probably get by just getting a couple of veterans into camp on minor league deals.
At this point,if there is anything left to spend, I’d like to see them add another bullpen piece. Tony Watson for 2years, 9 million plus some easily obtained, significant incentives?
Easy deal good for both teams, Lagares to the Royals for Hammel. Hammel is that solid back-end starter the Mets need and the Royals get a quality major league CF.
Lagares is not a full time CF and certainly not quality
He can be on the right team, much like JHey, lagares is a an above average fielder (due to his upcoming as a shortstop) but he has a solid bat as well
So we’ll just forget he has a gold glove huh. If he could learn to hit better and for the love of god not give his whole body just to make a catch he would be one the best center fielders in the league.
Largares hasn’t proven he can stay healthy for at least 150 games or that he can put up respectable offensive numbers. I can’t see making that deal. After all, isn’t Maybin still out there? I think the Mets will want to hold onto Juan just in case Conforto’s return is delayed and to see if his new swing generates some pop.
Can’t see making that deal? It clears payroll ($5 million difference) for this year and gives the team a filler until someone in the minors is ready. For the Mets it cuts out owing two-years on a 4th OF and some solid innings from a guy who pitched well in the NL a couple of years ago.
I will vomit in my mouth if the Royals sign Maybin. They have essentially the same player on a minor league deal already in Billy Burns.
My sources are telling me the Mets have traded Juan Lagares to the Giants for Sam Dyson,the hold up is just working out the money differential
Why does Sandy Alderson look so angry in the picture?
He has a reason to be happy after signing Bruce and Frazier to Steal contracts.
Looks like Mets are getting guys in cheap deals/ cause there owner is an idiot and cheap. Now they think they can compete?? Lmao
No reason they can’t compete with their lineup and rotation assuming their key players remain healthy.
Their current lineup is decent, but lacks speed. Rosario is the only one with any wheels, and he will probably bat 8th to start the season. What happens if and when the power goes into a slump? Speed never slumps. What happens when they need a stolen base late in a game? The pitchers can totally concentrate on the Mets batters because, no one is a threat to run.
Somebody please sign a pitcher!!!
According to this boras fed rumor :) a big market team, Mets, are looking for starters? He’s desperate