Focusing exclusively on 2025, who's the best starting pitching option for the Mets?
If you could make any pitching move happen for the Mets, it would be to deliver Roki Sasaki to the club. His age and his relatively cheap contract would be an impossible combination to beat. But if we change the question and make it all about 2025, which pitching addition would make the biggest impact for the Mets?
Everyone’s worried about Corbin Burnes and his declining peripherals. Yet if the only thing that mattered was 2025 performance, would Burnes top the list? How big should the concerns be with Burnes pitching in New York, after pitching the vast majority of his career in Milwaukee? Most fans have a comfort level with Sean Manaea, having watched him have success in Queens in 2024. Does last year’s performance boost him to the top of the heap?
Dylan Cease posted a career-high 4.8 fWAR last season, the third time in four years where he’s posted at least a 4.0 fWAR. And the year he didn’t, Cease had a 3.6 mark. He’s spent most of his career in Chicago. Does his combination of consistent production and big-market experience make him the choice?
Jared Jones dominated the Mets last year, as he threw five scoreless innings with just one baserunner, while notching seven strikeouts. He missed nearly two months of his rookie campaign. But does his combination of youth and MLB experience indicate he’s ready to make a giant leap forward in 2025?
The software limits us to five choices. If you think it’s someone else other than those listed above, let us know who in the comments.
The issue with Sasaki is that his agent, who also represents Kodai Senga, said that he might be better off in a smaller market. That seems shortsighted if he wants to win championships. Also the Mets have no advantage over any other team given the dollars are the same. Like Burnes but Stearns won’t go the years for a pitcher. Next on this list would be Manaea on a three year deal but not four. I’d like Buehler or Flaherty if we could get them.
The Mets definitely need to bring Manaea back for sure! I’m on board with going for Sasaki..: my only gripe with the Mets going into 2025 provided Manaea comes back is who is the “ace”… but do they actually *need* one? Hmm