Kodai Senga showed last season that he’s capable of leading a rotation, a positive development for the Mets given that the Japanese right-hander might need to wear that “ace” label in 2024.
The team’s pursuit of Yoshinobu Yamamoto that ended with the stud right-hander reaching agreement with the Dodgers last week on a 12-year contract worth $325 million has left the Mets to ponder a Plan B that likely excludes names such as Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery and veers toward mid-rotation and back-end options.
Simply, if the Mets were going to spend huge on a starting pitcher this winter, it would be on one they coveted.
The 25-year-old Yamamoto fit that description, but others do not — even if they are deemed the best available arms for next season.
So unless there’s a dramatic pivot by the Mets, the expectations to fill a rotation that presently includes Senga, Jose Quintana, Luis Severino and Adrian Houser (and could extend to a sixth man) remain relatively modest.
A look at a few of those arms still on the free-agent market:
Lucas Giolito
The Mets are showing strong interest in the right-hander, whose top selling point might be his ability to consume innings. Giolito, pitched 184 ¹/₃ innings last season — divided among the White Sox, Angels and Guardians — marking the fourth time since 2018 he surpassed 170 in a season.
He finished with 204 strikeouts last season, which ranked sixth in the American League.
Giolito had a solid first half with the White Sox last season, but beginning in mid-July went through a divorce and was later traded twice, factors that may have contributed to his shaky numbers after the All-Star break.
Overall, he finished 8-15 with a 4.88 ERA in 33 starts and his 41 homers allowed led the AL.
But the fact he is only 29 and received Cy Young award votes as recently as 2021 are positives for Giolito, who has also been linked to the Dodgers and Red Sox, among others, this winter.
Mike Clevinger
Another pitcher who spent time with the White Sox last season, the right-hander opted out from his contract in November and stands to land a multiyear deal in free agency.
Clevinger was accused last offseason of domestic abuse that allegedly occurred when he was with the Padres in 2022, but following an investigation by MLB, he wasn’t disciplined.
The 33-year-old pitched to a 3.77 ERA in 24 starts with the White Sox and is well-regarded for his ability to pitch to soft contact.
But Clevinger has also dealt with various injuries the last two seasons that kept him sidelined.
Last season he was limited to 131 ¹/₃ innings after pitching 114 ¹/₃ innings for the Padres the previous year.
Sean Manaea
The left-hander opted out from his two-year deal worth $25 million with the Giants after serving in a swingman role for the team and pitching to a 4.44 ERA in 37 appearances.
With it possible the Mets will often employ a six-man rotation to give Senga extra rest, Manaea could be a piece that bounces between the rotation and bullpen as needed.
The Mets received such versatility in the deal that acquired Houser from the Brewers last week.
But Manaea would be another lefty option for a team that could be without David Peterson into at least June following surgery to repair a labrum tear in his left hip.
Hyun-jin Ryu
He turns 37 in March and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022, but the veteran left-hander gave the Blue Jays respectable numbers in his 11 starts last season.
Overall, he pitched to a 3.46 ERA while limiting walks and exit velocity against him.
