David Stearns likes himself a project. In his short time with the New York Mets, we’ve all gone back to look at what his Milwaukee Brewers rotations looked like in the past. They weren’t all that different in the beginning. A mix of young players and cast-offs from other organizations made up most of his pitching staffs.
The premise worked to near-perfection in 2024 with Sean Manaea having an unbelievable season and Luis Severino doing pretty well, too. This past season had Manaea back and pitching terribly when healthy. The Severino switch to Frankie Montas felt bad from the start. Some gambles did work. Turning Clay Holmes into a starter deserves praise. Griffin Canning did more than anyone could’ve anticipated.
The vibe around the Mets is a little different. Trust was earned after the 2024 season. Those same words of faith have since gone away. While recognizable by name and with some good seasons in the past, Stearns needn’t even have a conversation about signing any of these three available free agent starters.
1) Dustin May
Dustin May remains a case of “what if” in baseball. Nicknamed Big Red but also referred to as “Gingergaard” with a nod to his similar appearance to Noah Syndergaard, the difference between him and the ex-Mets pitcher is that May hasn’t had nearly the same amount of success. This past year was his healthiest, logging 132.1 innings. As a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers and later Boston Red Sox, he was just 7-11 with a 4.96 ERA.
May hadn’t pitched since 2023. An esophageal tear while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery created a major setback in a career full of them. His previous career high in innings pitched came back in 2020 when he had 56.
Only 28-years-old, someone is sure to take a chance on May. The Mets aren’t in a position to be that ball club. Even if they are able to clear some room with a trade involving one of their current starting pitchers, it’s a matter of choosing surer things. Let’s cross our fingers his red hair and facial hair doesn’t attract him to Flushing like it has so many other pitchers in recent years.
