The Mets entered this off-season with a couple of significant needs, but one of the more glaring ones is starting pitching.
At the trade deadline, the blue and orange traded away starters Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. They only have three of their five rotation spots filled for 2024 by Kodai Senga, Luis Severino, and José Quintana.
The blue and orange are amid the Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes, but that is not the only pitcher the Mets have considered acquiring.
The Mets have checked in on Brandon Woodruff
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Mets have checked in on signing Brandon Woodruff.
The Mississippi native struggled to stay healthy in 2023, but when he was, he pitched fantastically for the Milwaukee Brewers. Woodruff pitched 67 innings across 11 starts to a 2.28 ERA with a 0.821 WHIP and struck out 74.
After the season, the 30-year-old underwent surgery to repair the anterior capsule in his throwing shoulder.
The Brewers opted to non-tender him, making him free to sign anywhere without his next destination owing the blue and yellow draft pick compensation.
- Mets designate former starter turned relief pitcher for assignment
- Mets designate a flamethrower who never appeared for them for assignment
- Mets targeting a ‘modest’ deadline strategy despite hot-streak
Should the Mets sign Woodruff?
Woodruff is undoubtedly an intriguing option for the blue and orange. Throughout his MLB career, he has been highly consistent and available.
Woodruff has started 20-plus games in the last three out of the previous five seasons, where it was possible to do so while throwing over 120 innings in each campaign.
He has also shown that he can be among the best pitchers in baseball, making the all-star game two times and finishing fifth in the National League Cy-Young race in 2021.
The only issue is that if the Mets were to sign the Mississippi native, they would have to wait to get a return on their investment, as he is expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2024 season following his shoulder surgery.
If Woodruff is willing to come to New York on an affordable deal, he could be the perfect pitcher for a Mets squad retooling in 2024 and looking to win it all in 2025.