Lucchesi makes case as fifth starter competition heats up
JUPITER, FLA. — Mets pitchers really aren’t making it easy for the club to make a decision on its first-starter choice. But it’s a good problem to have. Joey Lucchesi was the latest starter to put up a solid outing. He pitched three scoreless innings, gave up no runs, struck out four batters and walked two in the Mets’ 3-2 loss to the Marlins on Wednesday. Though it was his first Grapefruit League start, Lucchesi also appeared in an exhibition game as a reliever and threw two scoreless innings. That allowed the southpaw to stretch out to 42 pitches Wednesday, in addition to the work he put in during sim games.
Lucchesi, who arrived at the Mets in January via a trade by the Padres, said he felt more driven to impress the club knowing there’s a competition for the last spot in the rotation.
“Just got traded, it’s a new organization,” Lucchesi said. “I obviously want to show them that I belong here and every time I step on that rubber, I want to prove my worth. That’s what I’m doing out there every time, and that’s all I can do.”
Lucchesi, Jordan Yamamoto and David Peterson are all competing for the Mets’ vacant fifth-starter job in a race that is certainly heating up. All three have looked strong with more than half of spring training behind them, though at this point it would be somewhat of a surprise if Peterson doesn’t make the Opening Day roster. The lefthander pitched a solid rookie season in 2020, going 6-2 with a 3.44 ERA over 49.2 innings and nine starts.
Yamamoto, too, has pitched competitively across 8.1 innings in exhibition games this spring. He has a 1.08 ERA in three games (two starts) in the Grapefruit League. Mets manager Luis Rojas noted “every outing has been better and better” for the righthander.
It’s possible two pitchers from that trio could make the rotation, depending on how much time Carlos Carrasco needs to recover from his right elbow soreness.
Carrasco is hitting his benchmarks so far, including an 18-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday. He’s scheduled to face live hitters Thursday in what will be his first sim game in 10 days. Carrasco expressed confidence that he would be healthy and prepared to make his first turn through the rotation in the first week of April. He said his elbow soreness is an aggravation that normally pops up for the righthander around this time of year in spring training. Even so, Luis Rojas indicated the Mets would rather be cautious with his ramp-up to avoid further irritating the soreness.
“Competition is tight in camp,” Rojas said. “It’s going to be a tough decision.”
If Lucchesi ends up as the odd man out of the rotation, Rojas said the Mets have already stretched him out as a starter and wouldn’t use him in the bullpen. The skipper left the possibility open down the line, though, depending on what the Mets’ needs are once the regular season gets going.
For now, Lucchesi is intent on proving to the team that he belongs in the rotation. What he’s done so far should impress them.
“You can never be too content,” Lucchesi said. “You’ve always got to be better because this game’s a jungle, so you always got to be working hard, man. You can’t get lazy. I always just try to just get better and nitpick what I can from each outing.”