Without Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas to start the season, the New York Mets have reached a crossroads. Even before their injuries, the biggest weakness for David Stearns and Carlos Mendoza’s roster was their starting rotation. They now have three holes in the backend of the staff and need to find answers.
New York’s front three will have Kodai Senga, David Peterson, and Clay Holmes. Even those three are question marks. Kodai Senga only pitched five innings last season. David Peterson posted a 2.90 ERA, but he’s never had anywhere close to a performance like that before 2024. Clay Holmes could be a surprise piece, but he’s unproven as a starting pitcher.
It’s unclear when Manaea or Montas will return. The southpaw shouldn’t be out more than a month into the season, but they shouldn’t bet on him coming back early. Filling the rest of the rotation will be challenging, as spring training games have already begun. They have a few internal options, with Paul Blackburn, Tylor Megill, and Griffin Canning as candidates. However, they should take a look at other options still. Giving rotation spots to all three mentioned would be a significant risk. Blackburn, Megill, and Canning all have over a 4.00 career ERA. Let’s dive into three other options the Mets could pivot to for a rotation spot.
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Trade for San Diego Padres Dylan Cease
New York could still use another front-end starter, even when Manaea returns. With the San Diego Padres' openness to trade their ace, Dylan Cease, the Mets should make a call. Since 2021, he’s never pitched in less than 32 games. Not only is he a durable starter, but Cease has become one of the best in MLB.
Last season, Cease finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting. He pitched to a 3.47 ERA and logged 224 strikeouts across 33 starts. He would change the complexion of New York’s rotation.
If Cease were to get traded to the Mets, they’d have an elite rotation once Manaea returns. Even without Manaea, they’d have a top rotation. The rotation would feature Cease, followed by Senga. In 2023, Senga finished top-five in the NL with a 2.98 ERA. He also recorded over 200 strikeouts. Peterson and Holmes would follow, who are better suited as middle of the rotations arms. That would leave two spots open for Megill, Canning, or Blackburn. Once Manaea is healthy, they’d have one of the top rotations in the NL.
The only drawback with Cease is they’d have to give up prospects. Jett Williams, Drew Gilbert, Luisangel Acuña, or Brett Baty could intrigue the Padres. However, Stearns isn’t one to bank on giving up a haul for one year of control. It would be a gamble without Cease scheduled to hit free agency in the upcoming offseason. Stearns also isn’t accustomed to handing starters in their 30s long-term contracts, and Cease will look for one in the offseason.
Free agent Jose Quintana
Last season, Jose Quintana was spectacular down the stretch for the Mets. In his last ten starts of 2024, he recorded a 2.43 ERA. In the postseason, he held a 3.14 ERA. Keep in mind that New York faced the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers, who had two of the best lineups in MLB. Since 2023, the left-handed veteran has been one of the most reliable starters for the Mets. Across 44 career starts with the team, Quintana posted a 3.70 ERA.
As a back-end piece, the southpaw would be a great addition to the Mets rotation. To start the season, they’d have Senga as the one. Then Peterson, Holmes, and Quintana would follow. The last two rotation spots would still be up for grabs.
Quintana seems like a more likely option than considering New York wouldn’t have to give up any assets. A one-year deal could get the job done. However, with the Mets well past the luxury tax threshold already, it could cause a standstill in negotiations. Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, who have made fewer starts over the past couple of seasons, got over $15M on one-year deals. Quintana could snag a contract within that range. New York does need another starter now, so they shouldn’t close the door on a reunion.
Mets top prospect Brandon Sproat
An intriguing option to take over Manaea’s rotation spot to start 2025 would be Brandon Sproat. He’s currently the top prospect in New York’s farm system. Out of all 30 teams, he’s ranked as the ninth right-handed pitching prospect across all MLB.
Sproat is a wild card to make the 26-man roster to start 2025, even with Manaea and Montas absent. Nevertheless, the upside is hard to ignore. He features a four-seam fastball that touches the upper 90s. The 24-year-old also attains a hard slider, a nice curveball, a sinker, and a changeup.
Sproat wouldn’t give the Mets a top rotation on paper, but he has the potential to turn into a top-end starter. If he were to crack the Opening Day roster, he’d likely slot in the back end of the rotation. Many expect to see Sproat make his MLB debut in 2025. If he performs well in Spring Training, Sproat will further his case to get an opportunity sooner rather than later.