Seth Lugo has been a member of the New York Mets during his entire MLB career, one that started in 2016.
He has fulfilled every role you can imagine: he has been a starter, a swingman, a setup man, and even a closer for a portion of the 2019 campaign when Edwin Diaz was struggling.
Overall, he has been a valuable weapon.
However, his best years may be behind him, which brings up the million dollar question.
“Lugo had a 3.60 ERA for the Mets in 2022. Should the Mets bring him back as he hits free agency this offseason?” SNY tweeted.
Lugo had a 3.60 ERA for the Mets in 2022.
Should the Mets bring him back as he hits free agency this offseason? (via @DannyAbriano) https://t.co/b0L7X0jKfA pic.twitter.com/QNvMRAmI8W
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) October 31, 2022
The right-handed Lugo will turn 33 in November, and relievers rarely have a long, effective career into their late-30s.
Lugo Is A Steady, If Unspectacular Relief Option
Lugo has a career 3.48 ERA, and was at 3.50 in 2021.
With a 3.60 mark in 2022, the decline phase may be about to begin, but so far, it has been a smooth ride: Lugo is not the 2.70-ERA type pitcher he was in 2018 and 2019, but he is not bad by any means.
The Mets bringing him back is definitely not a lock, but it isn’t far-fetched either.
It’s just a matter of understanding his upside at this stage of his career: it would be foolish to expect him to post an ERA below the 3.00s, but he likely won’t exceed 3.80 either.
As the Mets try to win another playoff series for the first time since 2015, they may go with an option with a bit more upside: bullpens are an incredibly important part of the roster construction phase with the postseason in mind, and a deep, explosive group can really give an organization the edge.
Danny Abriano of SNY says that Lugo could be a worthwhile play on a one-year deal.
However, if he decides to seek a multi-year pact, it may be time to let him go.
