Seth Lugo drawing free-agent interest as starting pitcher

Right-hander Seth Lugo finds himself on the free-agent market for the first time in his career. He is coming off of a successful seven-year run with the Mets, functioning as a starter for the first few seasons and then oft-used reliever in recent years.

While his relief performance in 2022 (62 games, 3.60 ERA, 69 strikeouts in 65 innings) was already enough to guarantee him a job next season, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports that teams are viewing him as a starting pitcher in the early days of free agency.

Lugo, 32 on Thursday, has a 2.91 ERA in 300 career innings as a relief pitcher versus 4.35 ERA in 194 innings as a starter. He has not been a consistent starting pitcher since 2017, so the first reaction here is a bit of confusion.

Earlier in his career, the move from rotation to bullpen was largely thanks to health concerns. Lugo had a hard time keeping up with the workload required to be a starter in the big leagues. In 2017, he narrowly avoided Tommy John surgery after being diagnosed with a slight tear in his right UCL. 

Lugo also underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow in 2021. Once again, the injury very easily could have been worse, but he was able to skate by and miss just six weeks.

There are multiple teams that immediately stand out as starter-hungry heading into the offseason. The Orioles are a team that is frequently labeled as in need of a starter. 

Ditto for the Royals (which may lose Zack Greinke to free agency), Dodgers (Tyler Anderson, Andrew Heaney FA), Padres (Nick Martinez, Sean Manaea, Mike Clevinger FA), Rangers and Blue Jays (Ross Stripling FA).

Sammon goes on to note that the Mets, at least right at this moment, are not among the first handful of teams reaching out to Lugo about starting for them.