Seth Lugo is finally getting his long-awaited opportunity.
But not from the team he regularly asked for it, a team which could certainly use him right about now.
Lugo signed with the Padres this past offseason on a two-year, $15 million contract after spending the first seven years of his career with the Mets.
Despite emerging as one of the Mets’ most trusted bullpen arms in recent seasons, the 33-year-old Lugo had long publicly expressed his desire to be a starting pitcher.
The Mets were hesitant to thrust Lugo into that role, preferring to use him as a late-inning arm and closer at times.
Thirty-eight of Lugo’s 275 appearances for the Mets came as a starter, but he notably did not start any games the last two seasons with the team and was mostly phased out of starting duties after making 18 starts in 2017.
He owned a 4.76 ERA as a starter that season and a 6.15 ERA in seven starts in 2020 — the last time he started a game for the Mets.
The newly high-rolling Padres signed Lugo to be a starter, and he’s quickly rewarded their vision.
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He’s 2-0 through his first two starts of the season with a 1.38 ERA, surrendering just one run in each start.
“No bitterness,” Lugo said before the Mets and Padres began their three-game series at Citi Field on Monday. “The Mets treated me really well for a long time. Most of my adult life I was in a Mets uniform. Nothing but appreciation for the organization.”
Finding a role as a starter was Lugo’s primary objective in free agency.
He claimed he did not have any significant talks about returning to the Mets after they seemingly closed the door on him becoming a full-time starter with the team.
Toward the end of his Mets tenure, Lugo admitted he lost “a little bit” of faith he’d ever be a starter in MLB.
The Mets clearly thought he was more effective as a reliever, and he owned a 2.91 ERA in 237 appearances out of the bullpen with the team, sprinkling in 16 saves as well.
At the moment, the Mets’ decision appears to be a mistake amid rotation concerns. Carlos Carrasco’s early-season struggles and injuries to Justin Verlander and Jose Quintana threaten to derail a much-anticipated season.
“I think the mindset’s [of being a starter] always been there,” Lugo said. “I followed along pretty well in the bullpen how the starters attacked guys. … Being able to do more scouting and study the guys for an extended period of time instead of just the day of, or two or three days, it’s been nice.
“Being able to work on mechanics, work on pitch shapes, that’s the part I enjoy the most.”