NY Mets Monday Morning GM: 3 MLB All-Stars David Stearns let slip by this offseason

2) Yusei Kikuchi

Sean Manaea didn’t make his 2025 debut for the Mets until the last day of the first-half. A player who received a very comparable contract in the offseason is Los Angeles Angels All-Star Yusei Kikuchi. At 4-6 with a 3.11 ERA, Kikuchi is pitching well but not adding wins to his season total because of the team he plays for.

Kikuchi has long been a nasty pitcher who sometimes doesn’t get the results some of the Baseball Savant numbers say he should. Nothing about him has been especially terrific in 2025. In fact, his K/9 rate has actually been at its lowest in several seasons. He’s also walking a lot of batters, reaching 3.9 BB/9 through the first 20 starts of the year.

The great appeal of Kikuchi in his career might be his durability. He made 32 starts in each of the last two seasons. He would have likely reached a similar number in 2022 if not for getting moved into the Toronto Blue Jays bullpen.

Why we aren’t mad about the Mets not signing him

While the Mets pay Manaea $75 million over the next three years, Kikuchi will take home just under $64 million in the same span. A slight bargain, we can only question the decision in retrospect. After all, who didn’t want Manaea back after how well he pitched down the stretch and into the postseason in 2024?