Mets Sign Veteran Starter To One-Year Deal, Avoiding Arbitration

The New York Mets certainly are having a busy week.

Major League Baseball clubs have until Thursday to settle with arbitration-eligible players to contracts or be forced to enter arbitration. New York has multiple players who are arbitration-eligible and reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with veteran hurler Joey Lucchesi to avoid arbitration, according to the New York Post's Joel Sherman.

"The Mets and Joey Lucchesi agreed at $1.65M," Sherman said. 

Lucchesi joined the Mets in 2021 and logged a 4.46 ERA in 11 total appearances, including eight starts. Over that stretch, he compiled a 41-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 38 1/3 innings pitched. 

The 30-year-old missed the 2022 season due to injury, but returned in 2023 and was solid in a small sample size. Lucchesi made nine starts for the Mets last season and impressed with a 2.89 ERA and a 32-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 46 2/3 innings pitched. 

It's unclear exactly what the Mets' starting rotation will look like in 2024, but Lucchesi may be able to compete for a back-of-the-rotation spot. Kodai Senga, Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, and José Quintana enter the 2024 campaign likely with the top four spots but the fifth may be up for grabs. 

There's no way to know right now what Lucchesi's role will be with the Mets in 2024, but the two sides did avoid arbitration ahead of the deadline.