The Mets have been busy window shopping, lately.
In recent days, they nearly signed veteran pitcher Julio Tehran, according to SNY’s Andy Martino, and have also checked in on free-agent starters like Michael Lorenzen, per Will Sammon of The Athletic.
Such due diligence by president of baseball operations David Stearns is understandable. His ace, Kodai Senga, will miss Opening Day and time after that due to a strained right shoulder that has landed him on the injured list.
That has left the Mets with a hodgepodge of a rotation that is riddled with uncertainty. Jose Quintana pitched just three months last season, Luis Severino had the worst year of his career thanks in part to injuries and pitch-tipping issues. Sean Manaea spent the majority of 2023 in the bullpen for the San Francisco Giants, Adrian Houser is steady as a No. 5 starter with a career 4.00 ERA, and Tylor Megill has been consistently inconsistent throughout his Mets career.
Megill is also competing with the likes of Jose Butto, Max Kranick, and Joey Lucchesi for the No. 5 and 6 spots should first-year manager Carlos Mendoza decide to institute an expanded rotation.
But it appears as though Stearns’ interest in the starting-pitching market is cautionary as in if another starting arm goes down because of an injury. After all, he said that he wouldn’t rush to the open market in an attempt to cushion the blow of losing Senga.
If that is the case, it would likely be another depth signing because the likes of Lorenzen or Mike Clevingher carry too high of an asking price. The Mets will have to pay a 110% tax on any spending because of penalties for its dramatic exceeding Major League Baseball’s luxury tax threshold.
A pitcher like Teheran, who was brought in by the Baltimore Orioles on a minor-league deal with an invite to major-league camp on a $100,000 signing bonus, is far more affordable because he could be cut just before the start of the regular season.
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