Reese Kaplan -- Just Like Chris Bassitt, Luis We Hardly Knew You

With all of the over-the-top harangues regarding the pros and cons of obtaining Juan Soto in free agency as well as a secondary deluge of Corbin Burnes debate, there have been a great many other free agent diatribes regarding Max Fried, Blake Snell and others. 

Somehow lost in this mix is the state of the Mets starting rotation now with the news this week dropping that the questionable QO to Luis Severino is not going to be accepted as the big man is looking to obtain a greater windfall in multiple years rather than a huge push in 2025 alone.  

Hmmm…well, on the plus side, refusing the QO does leave the Mets with a draft pick from the obtaining team.  On the minus side it leaves them with Kodai Senga, David Peterson, maybe Tylor Megill and maybe Jose Butto as a starting rotation.  

Severino was an interesting first year gamble for David Stearns.  He came in at a price that was by standards today a reasonable $13 million.  While he was not the strikeout type of pitcher he sometimes showed with the Yankees, he reinvented himself as a pitcher who used the entire plate and for the most part could be expected to deliver 6 quality innings per start.  

When the word came down that the Mets were offering him a $20 million plus QO, it was a little confusing as his 3.91 suggested he was a decent 3rd or 4th starter but was being offered second starter money.  In a way I was like David Stearns hoping that he would grasp a multiyear deal elsewhere instead of taking the high 2025 salary from New York with no guarantees beyond this upcoming season.  

Now, to be fair, we hear a lot of reporting this time of the year which should be classified as fiction, yet the story seems to have wings and if he leaves I don’t think anyone will shed too many tears (particularly not Tylor Megill).  The Mets need pitching in the worst way and after a hopefully healthy Senga and continued health from David Peterson it’s a whole lot of uncertainty.  

For now it would appear there are many lower level pitching possibilities out there like Walker Buehler, ex-Met Jose Quintana and others who could fill in some of the holes in the rotation assuming that one of the big guns may or may not be added to fill out the top of the starting five.  

While everyone is indeed focused on pitching, let’s not forget the outfield dearth that needs to be addressed, the DH slot which is non-existent right now, the Pete Alonso contract and a multitude of relief pitchers who need to be wearing orange and blue when the season begins.

The important baseball dates have been given.  Decisions need to be made about tenders vs. non-tenders, accepting or declining QOs by free agents and the upcoming Winter Meetings when the general managers roll up their sleeves to get serious about trade possibilities and free agent signings.  For now it’s still mostly uncertainty, but the windfall of payroll dollars for the upcoming season leaves most fans and media somewhat enthusiastic.