NY Mets: Grading each of the major moves made last offseason

Joey Lucchesi

The Mets traded catching prospect Endy Rodriguez to the Pirates in a three-team trade in which they acquired left-hander Joey Lucchesi from the Padres. Lucchesi was acquired to be the fifth starter for the first part of the season until one of Carlos Carrasco and Noah Syndergaard were healthy.

His total numbers are not good as he went 1-4 with a 4.46 ERA, and the Mets went just 2-9 in his outings.

Lucchesi got off to a very rocky start and the Mets often had to use openers in his outings. He didn’t get into the fifth inning until mid-June.

While he got off to a rough start, Lucchesi allowed one run or fewer in each of his last five outings (22.2 IP). He pitched to a 1.19 ERA and 2.99 FIP in those outings, including 5.1 scoreless innings in Washington in what would be his last start of the season.

Lucchesi tore his UCL after this outing ending his season. He will likely miss part of next season as well. Once he is healthy I hope he doesn’t have to be a starter but his last five outings showed that the potential is there and I think he would be a solid long man in the bullpen.

Lucchesi has been a solid back end of the rotation arm in the past, pitching to ERA’s just above 4.00 in 2018 and 2019. In the case of injuries I have every reason to believe Lucchesi can be that guy for the Mets as well and give them five innings with the responsibility of just keeping them in the game.

Grade: C-