New York Mets

Mets Season in Review: Seth Lugo

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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With names like Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz, who would’ve thought that some guy named Seth Lugo would actually make an impact in the Mets star-studded rotation?

Aug 19, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Seth Lugo (67) throws to the San Francisco Giants in the second inning of their MLB baseball game at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

With a name that seems more fitting to a character in a Quentin Tarantino movie, Seth Lugo was a huge part of an injury ridden rotation towards the end of the 2016 season.

Being drafted in the 34th round of the 2011 MLB Draft, injuries in the 2012 season halted his short-lived baseball career. After recovering from spinal fusion surgery, he finally made it into the Mets farm system. Working his way from Brooklyn and Savannah to St. Lucie and Binghamton, Lugo was finally added to New York’s 40-man roster after the 2015 season.

What’s funny in regards to Lugo is while he pitched in a couple of games at Triple-A Las Vegas the year before, he didn’t pitch well at all before being called up. Pitching to a 3-4 record, he had a below-average 6.50 ERA through 21 games. Was this a pitcher the Mets could trust in a big time situation if needed?

How He Fared with the Mets in 2016

Mar 14, 2016; Lakeland, FL, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Seth Lugo (67) catches the ball during the second inning of a spring training baseball game against the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Getting called up in June, Lugo was supposed to be primarily used out of the bullpen. He was called up in the first place because of a number of injuries to the Mets pitching staff. Add a couple of more injuries to an already injury depleted rotation and Lugo was eventually put into it. This had cause for concern because as we mentioned before, Lugo didn’t pitch well at the Triple-A level. How could he possibly be trusted to start for a team that had playoff dreams to begin the season?

To make it short, Lugo pitched extremely well in his short time with the Mets. Coming out of the bullpen was one thing, but starting for the Mets is what they really needed. Lugo, along with Robert Gsellmen, helped the Mets tread water while they were fighting to get back to the .500 mark.

Pitching to a 5-2 record, Lugo started 8 games for the Mets and appeared in a 17 total games. Pitching through 64.0 innings, he had a 2.67 ERA (nearly 4 full points lower than his total ERA in Las Vegas). He helped a devastated rotation stay above water and get to the playoffs, when it seemed like a total cake dream. It was more proof to people that no matter the expectations, or lack-there-of, anything is possible, even for a minor leaguer with zero expectations.

Areas to Improve Upon

May 4, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; A stack of baseballs and a glove before a game between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

In his short stay with the Mets last year, the three things that stood out to me were strikeouts, walks, and innings pitched.

For strikeouts, Lugo is going to have to get a put away pitch to utilize at this level. Through 69.0 innings pitched, he struck out 45 batters.

For walks, Lugo needs to develop more command. Rather than overpower hitters, we saw him work towards the corners of the plate and fool them. Through 69.0 innings pitched, he walked 21 batters

If these two things could be worked on, he could become a very seasoned pitcher that could work in multiple roles for this team in the future.

As for his durability, we saw last year that he was pulled from a start against St. Louis because of muscle cramps. Obviously, he needs more time at this level to get the hang of hitters and his own stuff, but the more he pitches, the better he’ll be. If he could be stretched a little more through starts, when needed, it’ll go a long way for this team.

Projected Role in 2017

Apr 1, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Mr. Met tosses t-shirts into the stands during the seventh inning stretch of a MLB opening day game between the New York Mets and the San Diego Padres at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

With news that Zack Wheeler might be used out of the bullpen to start the season, and the departure of Bartolo Colon, Lugo’s name might be called early and often. Whether it used as a #5 starter, or long man, the Mets will have a need for him. I think in a perfect scenario, Lugo might be better situated in the bullpen, especially since it’s a weak part of this team. If a back end starter isn’t picked up, maybe the Mets use him in that role. Either way, he’ll have a lot to prove this spring training.

The one thing Lugo has is determination, especially after his last couple of seasons at the minor league level. With how poorly he pitched at Las Vegas last season, he really turned it around and made a for himself with the Mets. Going into spring training, he’ll be thought of actually making the big league team for the first time in his career. Using that same motivation he used coming up last June, it could catapult him into becoming a household name.

Contract Status and Trade Rumors

Coming into his first full season as an major league player, Lugo will earn the league minimum for the 2017 season (1 year/$507,500). Still having a ton to prove to people, he could really make a name for himself if he could fill the roles the Mets need the most. Whether it’s at the back end of the rotation or bullpen, his pitching could earn him a lot of recognition. It’ll prove to teams and people that this guy could not only do the job, but get the job done at this level. I’m very much looking forward to how Lugo handles this. While he’s faced adversity plenty of times in his minor league career, it’ll be the first time he faces it at the major league level. Let’s see how he handles the pressure and everything that comes a long with it.

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