3 challenging Mets roster questions the team may have to answer early in 2024

2) Is it time to move one of the projected starters to the bullpen?

The Mets added a couple of starting pitchers this offseason whose abilities are debatable. Luis Severino is coming off of a terrible year with the New York Yankees and looking to get somewhere closer to his All-Star capabilities from the past. Sean Manaea, who was never as good as Severino in his prime, has been far more productive and yet he’s the one who was moved to the bullpen last season while with the San Francisco Giants. There’s also Adrian Houser whose career has seen him flip between the rotation and bullpen on numerous occasions.

Those three, and even Jose Quintana for that matter, are serious contenders to eventually get moved into the bullpen if things go awry. A thought last year with a pitcher like Carlos Carrasco, it never ended up happening, but probably would have if the team bought at the trade deadline instead of sold.

Not completely unusual, the Mets are more set up to make such a move with the personnel they have. Starting pitching depth is abundant. Tylor Megill and David Peterson when he returns from the IL will be contenders to boot someone out. Jose Butto and Joey Lucchesi are another pair we could see overtake one of the higher-priced projected opening day starters.

A challenging roster decision like this is two-fold as it requires the correct timing and replacement option. Don’t pull the plug on a player too quickly, but don’t force him on the mound to the point where his and your year is unsalvageable. It’s not a particularly unique situation for the Mets other than the fact that they have more candidates for a move like this than usual.