With three of the top rookies set to enter free agency this winter, the New York Mets they may look elsewhere to fill out their rotation in 2025 and beyond. But that shouldn’t stop them from looking within first.

Names like Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Blake Snell and 22-year-old Japanese phenom Rōki Sasaki could become available, tempting Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns to go star hunting. However, this would mark a change from his typical strategy.

Stearns has historically preferred to acquire starters via trade, draft or short-term contracts, never committing more than two years to a free agent pitcher during his tenure as a decision maker with the Brewers and Mets.

It’s worth noting that Milwaukee is operating on a much smaller budget than owner Steve Cohen offered in New York. When Stearns joined the Mets last October, the team was coming off a 75-87 season that involved unloading two massive contracts – Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. The Mets committed to low-risk moves and avoided expensive free agents, but those affordable signings were key to their turnaround, leading them to the NLCS.

Sean Manaea, Luis Severino and José Quintana — all added to short-term contracts over the last two seasons (Manaea and Severino by Stearns, Quintana by former general manager Billy Eppler) — accounted for 37 percent of the club’s innings in 2024. That veteran trio made a collective 94 starts with a 3.71 ERA during the regular season, each starting at least three games in the postseason.

But which starter should he keep? Let’s take a closer look at all three.

Sean Manaea
The 32-year-old lefty is expected to opt out of his $13.5 million player option in hopes of securing a long-term deal after signing two consecutive “prove it” contracts.

After showing potential as a top starter with athleticism, Manaea struggled with the Padres and Giants, even moving to the bullpen at one point in 2023, but finished strong with a 2.25 ERA in four September starts.

In New York, he pitched a career-high 181.2 innings, plus 19 in the postseason, posting a 12-6 record, 3.47 ERA, 24.9% strikeout rate and 8.5% walk rate on foot during the regular season. Although he ran out of gas in the NLCS Game 6 loss to the Mets, he allowed just five runs in 17 innings in his first three postseason starts (2.65 ERA).

“I enjoyed my time here,” Manaea said after the Mets were eliminated in Game 6 of the NLCS. “I love New York. I like the organization. I love all the people here. I would definitely love to come back.”

Verdict: Re-signs Manaea to a three-year contract. He reinvented himself in New York by increasing his pad/sweep usage and revamping his arm angle, which should lead to continued success.

Luis Severino
Severino also reinvented himself as Met. When he signed a one-year, $13 million contract last season, the two-time All-Star and former YankeesThe ace appeared to be on a downward trend, surpassing 100 innings just once in the past five seasons due to injuries. In 2023, he posted a 6.65 ERA in 18 starts.

The Mets’ pitching staff helped him stay on the field and he went 11-7 with a 3.91 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 182 innings in 31 starts. He added three starts in October, going 1-1 with a 3.24 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 16.2 innings.

With the Mets, Severino embraced his bullpen and introduced a sweeper as a backup outfielder. Opponents hit just .139 against his machine with a 38.6% whiff rate in 2024, according to the data Statcast.

Verdict: Bring Severino back with a two-year deal, but only if they don’t get a high-priced starter like Burnes or Fried to pair with Manaea.

Jose Quintana
Quintana, who turned 36 in January, pitched 170.1 innings with a 3.75 ERA for the Mets in 2024, the final year of a two-year, $26 million deal.

Over the final five weeks of the season, he led the majors with a 0.74 ERA in six starts and finished the season with an 18.8% strikeout rate and an 8.8% walk rate. In three postseason starts, he went 0-1 with a 3.14 ERA

While the left-hander has proven to be a reliable innings eater, his four-seamer ranks in the ninth percentile and of the 157 pitchers who have logged at least 180 innings in 2024, no one threw a lower percentage of pitches that ended up in the strike zone (33.7). This suggests the Mets may find a younger, cheaper alternative.

Verdict: Let him go.