The Mets are talking with 30-yr. old RHP Rick Porcello.
The former Cy Young winner (Boston 2016: 22-4, 3.14) has pitched the past five seasons in the Red Sox band box and has never come close to duplicating what he did in 2016.
Last year, in 32 starts, he went 14-12, 5.52.
The question is...
It seems like his best pitching is in the past, but would this be a good one year addition to fill the void left by the departure of Zack Wheeler?
6 comments:
I think Porcello should be good enough if he can be healthy, which Wheeler hasn’t proven to me yet. While we all drool of Wheeler’s potential, his inconsistencies keep him in the second tier of starting pitchers conversation. Porcello is kind of second/third tier, but he did pitch in Boston and that division, so his numbers need to be curved.
Porcello gives up tons of homers - I think 96 in the last 3 years, more that one every six innings - and a lot of hits.
Beyond that, they have to decide if he is in a decline phase. Because if you decline from there, it is Sean Marcum II.
That said, his 5.52 ERA was only as bad as it was because of the word Mack hates to hear me mention - YANKEES.
Porcello allowed 20 earned runs in 15 IP against the Bombers in 2019.
Take that away, his ERA is down into the 4's.
Take him out of boom-boom Fenway, and into the friendlier-to-HR-prone-pitchers-Citifield-environment, and also into a league where pitchers (and not DHs) hit, and I would be open to a 1 year deal with option IF HE IS NOT PERCEIVED TO BE DECLINING (that is, less pitching skills in 2020 than 2019).
One think is crystal clear: he ain't Gerrit Cole, and the Mets usually get what they pay for (or less). I'd prefer Cole, but our Bronx neighbors have other ideas.
Prefer Bumgarner, but I'll take Porcello if it keeps Lugo in the pen.
He's had more solid years then bad ones, but last year was a bit rough. Another victim of the juiced baseball of 2019?
If you are bringing him on board as your #5 starter, and at a decent price, then you could do worse. Especially if he recaptures some of his Cy Young season magic.
I agree Mike though I still would rather not create an unhappy Lugo.
Hobie, apparently Bumgarner wants Wheeler $$$ - so much for that
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