Mets Hurler's Stock Raised After Bounce-Back Season

One Mets starting pitcher has done himself a lot of good this season when it comes to impending free agency.

Aug 28, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino (40) pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

One of the most pleasant surprises for the New York Mets this season has been starting pitcher Luis Severino.

While Severino's career 3.78 ERA shows that he has always been a solid major league pitcher, his career has been hampered by injuries that have limited his innings.

But the 30-year-old has managed to remain fully healthy this season, allowing him to become a workhorse for a Mets starting pitching corps that has dealt with its fair share of injuries.

This is a big reason why CBS Sports' R.J. Anderson listed Severino as one of five players who raised their stock heading into free agency in a September 10 article.

"Severino's results are obviously a good deal better this season than last, but don't sleep on another important development so far his free agency goes: his workload," Anderson wrote.

"This year is the first time since 2018 that he's thrown as many as 110 innings. Severino joined the Mets on a one-year deal worth $13 million over the winter. We have to assume he's going to be in a good position to fetch at least a two-year deal this time around," he added.

As Anderson alluded to, 2023 was a year to forget for Severino, as he posted a 4-8 record with a 6.65 ERA in 89.1 innings pitched with the New York Yankees. This is why the Mets signed Severino on what now seems like a great bargain.

Now that Severino has proven he can remain healthy throughout a major league season, teams will surely be more willing to sign him to a longer-term deal (and for more money) than they were before this year.

While Severino has expressed an affinity for New York City, it's hard to imagine that he'll be open to a major discount to remain with the Mets next season.