Mets: 3 former players we need to come back to New York

Collin McHugh

Former Astros pitcher Collin McHugh made his major league debut nine years ago for the Mets. The Mets took him out of high school in the 18th round of the MLB Draft. In his first-ever major league start, he struck out nine and pitched seven scoreless innings. In the most Mets way, the team lost 1-0. He was terrible after that start. He finished the season with an ERA north of 7. The next season, his ERA ballooned to 10.29, and he was traded.

McHugh did not play last year after signing with the Boston Red Sox. His elbow apparently did not respond to an offseason procedure. That’s not a good sign for a team to add an arm, but it’s been a full year since it happened so the hope is it’s been fixed.

McHugh would be a nice veteran presence in the Mets bullpen. He could be a long reliever, or he could work his way into a seventh-inning role held by Miguel Castro.

McHugh threw a pitching showcase for multiple teams back on January 16. The fact that he hasn’t been inked yet isn’t the best sign, but these things take time. Many teams are looking to add right before Spring Training starts. McHugh would be a nice player to take a chance on for a cheap price. The Mets could really use another arm in the bullpen to start the spring.