Mets' Seth Lugo Has Harsh Words for the Opener Role in Latest Quote
By Brendan Balsamo
In 2016, Seth Lugo was one of the main reasons the New York Mets played in the Wild Card Game. In a season that saw multiple starting pitchers go down, he and Robert Gsellman stepped up in starting roles, and pulled the broken down Mets into a playoff spot.
If this same thing happened in 2020 -- a rash of mid-season rotation injuries -- the Mets likely would have employed the opener method. Lugo, now a bullpen arm, is firmly against that technique, one of very few current big leaguers who's spoken out against the revolution.
Seth Lugo: “I don’t think an opener belongs in baseball.”
— Deesha (@DeeshaThosar) March 5, 2020
Lugo says he hasn’t been approached by Mets about the topic. He said he’s old school, and would rather watch Jacob deGrom go seven innings than watch a reliever start a game.
His statement isn't from experience, as the reliever hasn't been approached by his team about it ,and the Mets didn't use the method in 2019, but the former starter said that he is more old-school and would rather see a starter like teammate Jacob deGrom go deep into games than see a reliever start.
Seth Lugo does not like openers.
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) March 5, 2020
“I don’t think an opener belongs in baseball, Starters are starters, you know? I mean, I’m old-school. I like the game the way it’s meant to be played.”
The Mets would probably not use Lugo as an opener, as the former starter can have some longevity on the mound instead of airing things out for an inning. There is, however, a log jam in the Mets rotation, leaving little room for Lugo to squeeze in. Not only that, but his 2.70 ERA in 2019 made him the Mets' most valuable bullpen arm last year.
If Lugo keeps up his incredible performances in relief and the Mets find themselves in starter trouble later in 2020, it's possible he could find himself in the old-school starter role he wants.