NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Luis Severino’s addition to the Mets’ rotation came with concerns about his health history, but team officials see a pitcher determined to stay on the mound.
“I think he’s putting in the work this offseason,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said Monday at the winter meetings. “And I think he’s working tremendously hard to put himself in a place where he can stay on the mound. He’s very motivated to do so. I think he understands the importance of this year in his overall career arc and we’re going to do everything we can to support him.”
Severino, 29, arrived last week on a one-year contract worth $13 million after a season with the Yankees in which he missed significant time with various injuries.
Early in the season he sustained a right lat strain.
His season ended in September with a high-grade left oblique strain.
In 19 appearances, he went 4-8 with a 6.65 ERA.
Severino underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020 after dealing with a rotator cuff strain the previous season.
Manager Carlos Mendoza has known Severino since 2011, when they were together in the Yankees’ farm system.
The two were together for recent seasons in The Bronx, where Mendoza served as the bench coach.
But Stearns said the right-hander was on the Mets’ radar even before Mendoza’s hiring as manager last month.
“[But] Mendy’s contributions and reinforcement about what type of person [Severino] is and competitor just reinforced our interest,” Stearns said.
Severino, according to Mendoza, still has the raw tools to succeed.
“Talent, we saw it toward the end of the year, the fastball was live,” Mendoza said. “The goal is to keep him healthy and this is something we need to work on with him and his people and our people here, but I am excited to have Sevy on board.”
Severino joins Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana in the rotation and the club is actively pursuing Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who isn’t scheduled to meet in person with teams until after the winter meetings. The Mets have also shown interest in Japanese left-hander Shota Imanaga.
Stearns acknowledged the Mets need to add at least one additional starting pitcher, but the number is probably higher.
“We came into the offseason saying we wanted to add multiple,” Stearns said. “We’ve added one. I think adding at least one more is needed. I wouldn’t mind adding more than that, but certainly at least one more is needed.”
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