Ranking the NY Mets 3 best options to be Opening Day starter

With Kodai Senga starting the season on the IL, the New York Mets don’t have an Opening Day starter slated just yet. The 31-year-old was lining up to get his first Opening Day start since coming to MLB from Japan. In his first season with New York, he posted a 2.98 ERA and struck out over 200 batters. 

Now that their ace is out of the equation to get the ball, they are looking elsewhere. The rest of the Mets rotation is a question mark. Adrian Houser, Luis Severino, Jose Quintana, and Sean Manaea are all locked to be in New York’s starting rotation. However, none are anywhere near as talented as Senga. 

This leaves an open door for someone to make their mark. New York still has a rotation spot up for grabs, and Tylor Megill has been showing in Spring Training that he’s the most worthy. 

The Mets open up their season at home against the Milwaukee Brewers. All eyes will be on the Opening Day starter, as New York fans are excited to see which pitcher can step up this year. Here are the top three options to get the ball on Opening Day: 

3. Tylor Megill could get the ball on Opening Day for Mets

In 2022, Megill got the ball for the Mets on Opening Day. Two seasons later, he’s making a case to do it for the second time. So far in Spring Training, the 28-year-old has put together impressive performances.

In three Spring Training starts, Megill has only allowed one run. His most recent outing against the Yankees was top-notch, as he tossed three shutout innings while striking out six and allowing no runs. 

The young right-handed starter has gotten numerous opportunities to prove himself, and this one might be his last. With Kodai Senga starting the season on the IL, it leaves an open rotation shot, and it’s looking like he’s the best candidate for the job. 

Of all the Mets starters right now, Megill is the youngest and has the highest upside out of the projected five. In 2022, he came out of the gates firing, posting a 4-0 record and a 1.93 ERA in April. 

Luis Severino, Jose Quintana, Sean Manaea, and Adrian Houser are set in the starting rotation. With the ace out of the picture, it leaves the door open for someone to step up. Megill has an opportunity not to step into the rotation and potentially solidify himself with the Mets. 

When New York hired David Stearns as President of Baseball Operations, they knew he would bring significant pitching insight. He was known for his “pitching lab” in his previous endeavors. 

With that being said, Megill could benefit from Stearn’s pitching philosophy. Fans have seen the righty pitch at a high level before, but not over a consistent stretch.

There’s no question he has all the tools to be an All-Star caliber starter. He’s got the size and strength, standing at six-foot-seven. Megill added to his arsenal over the offseason, on top of adding velocity to his slider. His fastball has touched 96 mph in Spring Training. 

Many pitchers find it hard to develop new pitches as their career goes in, but Megill has taken on the challenge. Headed into this season, opposing batters will have to deal with an American Spork. 

The 28-year-old has developed this pitch thanks to the ace of the staff, Senga. If Megill finds success early on, when the ace returns, the Mets could potentially have two high-end starters.

Only time will tell if Megill can solidify himself in the Mets rotation. Fans have seen it before, but they also saw it fade quickly. If the organization can build off his success in Spring Training, giving him the Opening Day nod could benefit him. 

Showing confidence in the young arm could go a long way. If he’s starting to figure it out, the Mets should take advantage of it. They desperately need someone to step up with their ace out, and Megill might just be that guy.