5 Mets players David Stearns would have traded if the team was punting in 2024

5) Joey Lucchesi

Joey Lucchesi is a forgotten trade candidate on the Mets roster. Maybe it’s because he is expected to start the season in the minors that has him getting overlooked. After a productive year with the Mets bouncing between the majors and minors in 2023, he is no closer to securing a rotation spot in the big leagues. Lucchesi is under team control through 2025, but with only a single minor league option remaining, far more likely to end up somewhere else.

The appeal of Lucchesi is the ability to send him up and down from the minors. He’s insurance for the Mets. It’s insurance they need even more so with David Peterson beginning the year on the IL. Their starting pitching depth behind the projected five will include those two plus Tylor Megill and Jose Butto. Based on how the Mets managed their rotation last year in part because of Kodai Senga, we should expect regular outings from this group, Lucchesi included.

Lucchesi wouldn’t have added a huge return to the Mets, but as an intriguing arm not costing a whole lot, someone with a bit more patience might have given up a little something.

Interestingly, keeping Lucchesi could have also been a sign of punting. If they had simply locked him into a rotation spot, it would have definitely felt like the special teams unit had stepped onto the field.