Luis Severino will suit up for the No-City-Needed Athletics next season. One of the more surprising moves we can expect this offseason involving a former New York Mets player, the only thing to drop our jaws further would be if J.D. Martinez decided to stick around the league and try his hand at pitching.
Because Severino turned down the qualifying offer, the Mets did add a draft pick although it could quickly get erased. Sign free agents from other teams who rejected the QO and the Mets will begin to lose multiple draft picks.
A draft pick is nice. Even nicer, as Tim Healey of Newsday pointed out, was how Severino parlayed a healthy and productive season into a $67 million deal. The Mets became a worthy destination for other free agent starters looking to replicate his success and cash in.
The Mets earned street cred for talented pitchers looking to get back to doing what they do best
If one year fliers is something the Mets will routinely take a chance on, there isn’t a better example of how positively those things can turn out than what happened in 2024. Severino and Sean Manaea showed the Mets can nurture players in their position. Whether it was actual coaching or advice of the more analytical variety, each had a stellar year. One has cashed in. The other, Manaea, should get even more guaranteed money.
The Mets already signed one player fitting this description. Frankie Montas, off of a one-year deal he originally signed to suit up for the Cincinnati Reds, didn’t have nearly as good of a season. He’d finish off with the Milwaukee Brewers looking much better yet not nearly on the same level as the Mets duo.
Consistent Mets rumors this offseason have suggested they aren’t above signing another player in this category. Walker Buehler seems to be most people’s favorite to fit this description. Several injuries and a down year in the regular season for Buehler have him in a position where he’ll benefit most from something short with an opt out after 2025. Buehler is far less sneaky of a free agent than these others and could very well get paid decently in his first trip to free agency.
When Steve Cohen took over as the owner of the Mets, we all assumed it would be money that would attract players most. This hasn’t changed. In fact, Healey’s point all along is how the revival of a career for one year in Flushing can help pitchers who’ve hit some hard times get back on track. This shouldn’t be the only implementation for building a rotation. It’s good to have options and a positive reputation backed up by results.