Mets: Which offseason addition is most likely to be a bust?

Rick Porcello

Out of all the new additions the Mets made this winter, nobody will see more playing time than Rick Porcello. He’s expected to be the team’s fourth or fifth starter. Before even taking the field, he has a lot of pressure on him.

Porcello is an interesting case because of how poorly he pitched last season. There are some out there who aren’t expecting anything more than fifth starter numbers. What if he’s even worse?

On a one-year deal with a safe $10 million coming his way, Porcello can certainly be a bust but not to the same extent as other recent Mets pitchers. I think if he’s going to get the label on him this year it will have as much to do with how other pitchers perform. The Mets had their chance to add a variety of men to the starting staff. They chose Porcello and we’re going to compare him to how those men do.

Drastic inconsistencies from year to year make Porcello a major wild card. Until I see him in an orange and blue uniform in games that matter, I won’t know what to think.

Michael Wacha

An incentive-based deal for Michael Wacha makes him a safe bet to not be a bust for the Mets in 2020. Again, when it comes to the b-word, money matters a whole lot.

Wacha is actually a guy I could see outperforming expectations more than anyone else. Maybe this is partly because I don’t see him offering them much more than innings in relief and a few starts when someone inevitably lands on the IL.

A minor concern someone could have for Wacha not working out in New York is a full-time transition to the bullpen. This switch doesn’t always work for everybody.

Wacha is a safety net to injuries and poor performances from guys like Porcello and Steven Matz. He’ll be a bust in 2020 if he goes the Lowrie route and sits on the sidelines for most of the year. Otherwise, if he can give this team just an average performance, it’s tough to be upset with him.

Want your voice heard? Join the Rising Apple team!

Write for us!

When we think of the word bust, the higher the expectations always mean the further a player can fall. Fortunately, none of these guys are locked into contracts beyond 2020. Even if they all become major mistakes, it’s a temporary problem where the solution is time.