The Mets need mid-rotation starters but must take into account the recent performance of this veteran pitcher
The Mets won't just be looking for a top-rotation arm to pair with Kodai Senga at the top of the team's rotation. Part of the problem in recent years with the Mets' starting pitching has been the lack of efficient mid-to-low starters who can help the team.
Outside of Jose Quintana, the Mets are uncertain about which pitchers might end up in the rotation even if they sign a top pitcher like Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Into this equation enters James Paxton, who has had a good comeback this season with the Boston Red Sox.
Paxton has been pitching well considering that he lost the entire 2022 season and that in the previous two years, he posted pretty bad numbers. However, this season he has managed to stay healthy, limiting the damage of his opponents and posting a quite reasonable ERA considering the stadium where he mostly pitches.
Unfortunately, the Mets should look the other way and not seek to negotiate with Paxton. His injury-prone profile makes him one of the riskier options in free agency. The Mets can think options like Luis Severino or Michal Lorenzen would be a safer bet to compete for a mid-rotation spot in the Mets.