If there’s one thing the New York Mets need, it’s starting pitching. They currently had three starters who made 31 or more starts hit the free agent market at the end of the season. Although they have some talented names returning, and Kodai Senga is on track to be at full strength next season, the Mets could certainly add more starters.
Luckily, this year’s free agent market is deep with pitchers. However, the likes of Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, and Blake Snell overshadow some underrated names on the market looking for teams. The Mets could find a Black Friday bargain with these five veteran hurlers who are looking for contracts this winter.
1) Spencer Turnbull
Spencer Turnbull missed most of 2021 through 2023, pitching just 81 innings and not pitching at all in ‘22. This past season, the right-hander looked like he was on his way to a strong 2024 season with the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. While his second half was cut short, the right-hander pitched very well during the first half of the season.
Turnbull pitched 54.1 innings, appearing in 17 games and making seven starts. He ended the year with a 2.65 ERA, 3.85 FIP, and 1.05 WHIP. Turnbull struck out 26.1% of batters with an above-average 0.99 HR/9 rate. His 9% walk rate was slightly below league average but manageable, given his other quality peripherals. Turnbull did run into some good luck, however. He had a .233 batting average on balls in play. But his 3.80 xFIP and 3.67 SIERA were still good and painted him in a positive light.
Turnbull was also decent at limiting hard contact. He was in the 76th percentile of exit velocity at 87.8 MPH and the 61st percentile of barrel rate at 7.2%. His 47.5% groundball rate helped him limit home runs while playing half of his games in what is the fourth most home run-friendly ballpark in Major League Baseball, according to Baseball Savant park factors.
Turnbull missed the entirety of the second half of the season. The right-hander was placed on the IL at the end of June with a lat strain but wouldn’t return to the mound. If Turnbull is back at full strength, he’d be a great addition to the Mets’ pitching staff.