Mets 2017 Season Preview: Who will earn the fifth starter slot?

JT. Teran, Editor

While the Mets are holding – what can basically be considered limited tryouts for this spot – there isn’t a doubt in my mind that Robert Gsellman will end up locking it up.

Gsellman earned this spot with his performance last season when he and Seth Lugo stepped in for the injured rotation. He pitched incredibly well for a rookie whose name hadn’t been mentioned in the same conversation as the likes of Steven Matz, and Zack Wheeler.

Gsellman threw 44 and 2/3 innings for the Mets in 2016 and did something really important during that time: he kept the ball in the ballpark. Gsellman only gave up one home run over those eight games he made an appearance (he started seven of those games). For someone that doesn’t strike out guys at the same rate as a Noah Syndergaard, for example, it’s obviously important to keep as many the balls that are hit off him as far away from the fences as possible.

Out of those competing against him for a rotation slot, the only one I could see really give him a run for his money is Seth Lugo. Like Gsellman, Lugo stepped up bigly when the Mets needed healthy pitchers, and he’s also been lighting it up early on in Spring Training. Gsellman will still win out, but it’s going to be close.

Zack Wheeler, on the other, is unfortunately too unpredictable and unreliable at this time to be given this fifth starter role. Wheeler will eventually be part of the rotation (not sure if this year or next though), but for now, his innings will be monitored and kept in the “low 100’s” so giving him start time wouldn’t be the right decision.