Breaking down the Mets' rotation options without Kodai Senga
Mets pitcher Kodai Senga speaks during a press conference Thursday in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — For Tylor Megill, this is routine by now.
He enters spring training on the outside of the Opening Day roster projections, part of the next five instead of the starting five. And then, of course, a very talented somebody gets hurt. Suddenly, there is a spot in the rotation to be won.
It happened in 2022, when Megill wound up starting the first game of the year in place of Jacob deGrom. It happened in 2023, too, when Megill subbed in for Justin Verlander, who got hurt on the eve of the season. And it happened again this week, with Kodai Senga sidelined with a strained right shoulder.
Feel familiar?
“Very,” he said.
Megill isn’t guaranteed that rotation job. But he has as good a chance as anyone — maybe better. Here is a breakdown of the Mets’ options for this and any future openings.
RHP Tylor Megill
Tylor Megill of the Mets walks to the dugout after the seventh inning against the Phillies in the first game of a doubleheader at Citi Field on Sept 30, 2023. Credit: Jim McIsaac
2023 stats: 25 starts, 4.70 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings
Key fact: In the second half, he walked 7.9% of his batters faced. Before that, it was 11.9%.
More than any of the other names here, Megill has gotten chances. The Mets want it to work. His velocity can reach the upper 90s — though his fastball has been in the range of 94 to 96 mph lately — and his slider is vicious.
He has a new splitter, too, that he learned with Senga’s help near the end of 2023.
“It’s definitely part of the arsenal,” Megill said. “It’s good. Thanks, Kodai . . . Kodai going out there every five, six days and hitters know it’s coming and still getting the results on it even though they know it’s coming — why not try to figure out how to throw that?”
After parts of three seasons in the majors — 58 games overall — Megill has a 4.72 ERA. He and the Mets are still chasing that April 2022 high, when he dominated for five outings.
His goal is to not be in this sort of conversation in the future.
“Obviously, it’s not something I want to do, be the next guy up,” said Megill, 28. “I want to solidify a starting role. But all I can do is make the most of opportunities that I have.”
LHP Joey Lucchesi
Mets pitcher Joey Lucchesi throws during a spring training workout Saturday in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: AP/Jeff Roberson
2023 stats: Nine starts, 2.89 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 1.88 strikeouts per walk
Key fact: He lost nine pounds during the offseason after improving his nutrition and diet.
What Lucchesi most remembers from his three-start audition last September — in which he had a 1.93 ERA — did not become particularly relevant until a month later. His best start was seven innings (no earned runs) against the eventual National League champions.
“Knowing I could go out into the eighth inning against a World Series team like the Diamondbacks, which I did, against one of their best pitchers [Zac Gallen], which I have,” he said. “Just the confidence of knowing I’m an elite pitcher and I can do this.”
Lucchesi is the oldest (30) and most experienced (79 major-league games) of this bunch. And now he is slimmer and feeling more energetic than in the past.
“I was a little chubby,” he said. “I wanted to look more like an athlete, get a little more toned, a little stronger . . . If I perform like how I know I can do, I think I have a good shot.”
RHP Jose Butto
Mets pitcher Jose Butto throws during a spring training workout on Feb. 14 in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
2023 stats: Nine games (seven starts), 3.64 ERA, 1.33 WHIP
Key fact: The Mets planned to try him as a reliever in September before another starter opening popped up.
Butto made the most of his run in the rotation late last season, his first major-league experience that was more than a spot start. He had a 3.29 ERA across five outings, striking out a batter per inning (and three for every walk).
Although Butto probably isn’t the top choice here, he is the youngest (25) and has a chance in camp to show that his unofficial tryout wasn’t a fluke. Important pieces then: a sharper slider and a new sinker, which combined to make his pitch mix much more unpredictable.
RHP Max Kranick
Max Kranick of the Mets poses for a portrait during Photo Day at Clover Park on Thursday in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: Getty Images/Elsa
2023 stats (Triple-A): Seven starts, 16 1/3 innings 2.76 ERA, 0.80 WHIP
Key fact: This is his first healthy, normal spring training since 2021.
An offseason waiver claim from the Pirates, the 26-year-old Kranick is trying to get his career back on track after June 2022 Tommy John surgery. He returned to dabble in minor-league action near the end of last year.
Now he is trying to impress his new Mets bosses, who have instructed him to add a two-seam fastball.
“The plan is very clear from the beginning: I’m going to work on a two-seam. In order to continue to start, I need something going into righties specifically,” he said. “There’s definitely depth here. I just want to get back up there [to the majors] and show them I’m there to stay. It’s not just, hey, you can throw some innings here and there.”
The prospects
From left, Mets pitching prospects MIke Vasil, Christian Scott and Dominic Hamel. Credit: Newsday/Alejanda Villa Loarca
Mike Vasil, Christian Scott and Dominic Hamel could reach the majors this season, but it won’t be immediately. President of baseball operations David Stearns said he prefers to have that trio continue to pitch in the minors first.
They have not proved effective at Triple-A yet. Vasil had a 5.30 ERA at that level; Scott and Hamel finished in Double-A.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
