Mets starting pitching trio: 1 to trust, 1 to move to the bullpen, 1 to demote

The New York Mets are testing different players to figure out who they can count on and in what role for 2024. One area that needs more clarity on their path to free agency is the starting pitching rotation.

Kodai Senga looks like the ace of the Mets' rotation for next year, and Jose Quintana has been efficient in all his outings, but from this point on there are many questions about who could take on a role in the rotation and who. They would make up the bullpen. In this sense, we are going to analyze three pitchers and where they fit best this season and next in the Mets pitching staff.

One Mets pitcher to trust: Joey Luchessi

Joey Lucchesi had been a forgotten soul on the Mets' roster this season. After missing the 2022 season due to Tommy John surgery and a few AAA outings with knee tendonitis, Lucchesi made 14 appearances for the Syracuse Mets, posting a 3.69 ERA.

Lucchesi returned to pitching in the Mets' rotation a few days ago against the St. Louis Cardinals, after not pitching with the team since last May. The lefty managed to limit the Cardinals' offense to just four hits in 5.2 innings in which he struck out five.

A relevant aspect of Lucchesi's last appearance is that his curve generated his best numbers this season. Lucchesi curveball showed a max spin rate of 2364 generating eight swing strikes, and four called strikes for a CSW% of 39%.

Lucchesi's stuff isn't the most electric of the Mets' options, but his efficiency on breaking pitches tends to generate enough swing-and-miss and weak contact to put him in an advantageous position. Lucchesi deserves more exposure within the rotation over other options on the team, as he has proven to be a more reliable pitcher.