Mets’ Luis Severino makes risky free agency move

Luis Severino has declined the Mets’ qualifying offer, Tim Healy of Newsday first reported on Tuesday.
By doing so, the starting pitcher is passing up a one-year, $21.05 million deal for the 2025 season. Instead, the 30-year-old right-hander will risk testing the market where he hopes to receive a multi-year deal worth more guaranteed money.
If he signs a free agent deal with another team, the Mets will receive a draft pick compensation.
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Severino had a resurgent season with the Mets in 2024 when he recorded his first fully healthy season since 2018, posting a 3.91 ERA with 161 strikeouts in 31 starts, including his second-career complete game.
The Dominican native reinvented himself in Queens, relying less on strikeouts and more on contact. He increased the use of his sinker from 2.8% in 2023 to 24.8% thereby seeing an uptick in his ground ball percentage (45.2%).
While impressive for Severino, who had the worst season of his career in 2022, these numbers don’t necessarily justify a larger contract. The two-time All-Star spent five years, between 2019-23, battling injuries, appearing in 45 games (40 starts) during that span. One healthy season probably won’t be enough for a club to guarantee him more money and more years.
If a team does offer Severino a multi-year deal, it could include an option based on innings, which is similar to Justin Verlander’s recent contract in which he needed to reach 140 innings to receive another year with guaranteed money.
If he doesn’t get a multi-year deal, Severino will have to settle for a one-year contract, which will not be worth as much as the Mets’ qualifying offer — Spotrac currently has his market value at $14 million.
The more prudent move for Severino might have been to accept the Mets’ offer and prove he can remain healthy.
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Manny Gómez may be reached at [email protected].