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3 pitchers traded at the MLB trade deadline who could be a Mets free agent match
The Mets didn't trade for any of these three who moved at the deadline. Could they sign one instead?
A starting pitcher was always a necessity for the New York Mets at the trade deadline. Then came the injury to Kodai Senga. It became an undeniable must.
They ended up acquiring Paul Blackburn who pitched well at times and not so great in other appearances before landing on the IL. He’s expected to start on Monday for the Mets. We’ll hold our breaths and hope for the best.
Blackburn wasn’t nearly the best starting pitcher moved at the trade deadline. These three, all with free agency either guaranteed or likely approaching at the end of the 2024 season, are candidates for the Mets to target. Who are we throwing our money at?
1) Yusei Kikuchi
Nasty stuff without the results has been a part of Yusei Kikuchi’s game. Coming into this season, his career low 3.86 ERA from the 2023 season to go with 11 wins highlighted his accomplishments. Some good strikeout numbers and more recently some favorable walk totals have made Kikuchi more than a Baseball Savant darling. His numbers on Baseball Reference aren’t so bad either.
Kikuchi wasn’t superb with the Toronto Blue Jays, going 4-9 with a 4.75 ERA. Since joining the Houston Astros in what was a significant haul for the Blue Jays to surrender the pending free agent, things have gotten much better.
Through 7 starts, Kikuchi is 4-0 with a 3.07 ERA. The magic touch the Astros have on pitchers seem to have unleashed the best version of this veteran lefty.
Kikuchi’s age is a little bit of a turn-off at 33. Only one year of finishing with an ERA under 4.00 shouldn’t have too many teams rushing to overpay for his services. He has consistently been able to stay healthy which should add to the number of dollars he gets. A three-year deal is probably in the realm of what he’ll get, if not four at a reasonable rate. We know the Mets love to have guys they can unlock further.
Verdict: Pair him with a Corbin Burnes signing and let's go to war.
2) Jack Flaherty
Jack Flaherty was a player the Mets should have paid the price to acquire at the trade deadline. He ended up going to the Los Angeles Dodgers from the Detroit Tigers for a perceived lesser haul. Questions about his health had the New York Yankees balking. Was this one reason why the Mets didn’t pursue harder?
Flaherty dazzled audiences in Detroit by going 7-5 with a 2.95 ERA in 18 starts. Since moving to Hollywood, he has been equally as fantastic. Now 5-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 7 appearances for Los Angeles, he has proven to be the acquisition every team in the market for a starter should’ve paid to get.
He was from the same mold as Sean Manaea and Luis Severino of guys who settled on one-year contracts hoping to show off their abilities. Unlike some others who did little to help their cause or remained a bit stagnant, Flaherty’s performance should earn him a multi-year deal.
Flaherty turns 29 this October which will have him at a good age to get a couple of seasons on his next contract. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. This is the season fans have been waiting to see since 2019 when he finished fourth in the Cy Young.
Of all the pitchers who signed an affordable one-year deal, Flaherty is the one who might have slipped past the Mets the hardest. He has walked less than 2 batters per 9 and struck out more than 11 per 9. The one thing about him is that if the Mets do sign him, it probably will be the biggest salary they award to a starting pitcher. Consider him a satisfying fallback for Corbin Burnes.
Verdict: Take a chance on a short deal with a high AAV if health is a concern.
3) Frankie Montas
Frankie Montas has a $20 million mutual option for next season that, unless the Milwaukee Brewers go against their better judgment, will get tossed in the trash. It’s a lot of money for a guy who hasn’t pitched great in 2024. His 4-8 record and 5.01 ERA with the Cincinnati Reds didn’t convince the Brewers to stray from making a trade. He has been better since, going 2-2 with a 3.92 ERA in his first 7 starts for the contending Brewers.
Montas would be a match for the Mets in the same scope as Severino and Manaea were. A teammate of Manaea’s in the past, perhaps we even see some linkage there if the crafty lefty returns to make an internal pitch to management about teaming up again. Manager Carlos Mendoza knows him from 9 starts he made as a member of the New York Yankees. Things didn’t go well there. Frankly, if he did make his way to Queens, we’d have our doubts.
What could we expect from Montas’ market? The Reds undoubtedly overpaid him with $16 million guaranteed. This includes the $2 million buyout for next season. Would the same exact total of $16 million on a one-year deal be worth it for the Mets? They successfully worked their magic on Manaea and Severino. Considering they’d want a six-man rotation to get the most out of Senga, they’ll have to explore all opportunities.
A sixth-place finish in the 2021 Cy Young race was a high point of his career. Montas will find it tough to find much more than a one-year offer this winter. If the Mets are open to another project they think they can save, he might be one to bring in—but only if he’s willing to take a pay cut.
Verdict: Only sign Frankie Montas if options deplete completely.
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