Luis Severino says he would have taken less money to stay with Mets

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Luis Severino badly wished to return to the Mets as a free agent final offseason, a lot in order that he provided to take considerably much less cash than he wound up receiving from his new group, the Athletics, he stated Friday.

However the Mets merely weren’t , he added.

“I thought I had a chance [to stay],” Severino stated earlier than the Mets-Athletics sequence opener. “I feel like I did a good job out there. I feel like I behaved myself well in the clubhouse with all the guys. At the end, they had different plans.”

Severino signed a three-year, $67 million contract with the A’s.

Earlier than that, although, he communicated to the Mets — by way of his agent — that he would fortunately come again to Queens for 2 years and $40 million. That may have been about $2 million much less per yr, in addition to one fewer yr.

“What my agent told me — I’m not going to say it’s 100% — but my agent told me the only offer they were going to give me was the same deal they got [Frankie] Montas on,” Severino stated.

The Mets introduced in Montas, coincidentally a former member of the Athletics, for 2 years and $34 million. He received’t pitch for a minimum of one other month-plus due to a strained proper lat.

The distinction between what the Mets apparently had been keen to supply and what Severino would have taken: $3 million per season.

“At the beginning, I was shocked. But at the end, I knew it was a business and they need to take care of other stuff,” Severino stated. “I knew it was going to be less money, but I just liked the environment there. The trainers were unbelievable. Everything there was good. So I was trying to sacrifice more money by staying in a place where I know I can be better, I can get better. But at the end, I was not in the plans.

“For me, [the Montas offer] wasn’t fair. But at the end, I feel like they were not [offering more] because they have other options, other guys they feel could do the same job.”

Mets supervisor Carlos Mendoza stated: “Proud of the fact that he got a nice contract. The hard work paid off. I’m proud of him.”

Along with Montas, the Mets introduced in transformed reliever Clay Holmes (three years and $38 million) and Griffin Canning (one yr for $4.25 million) to assist fill out the rotation. In addition they re-signed Sean Manaea, who grew to become shut with Severino after they had been new guys on the 2024 Mets, for 3 years and $75 million.

So now Severino is asking Northern California residence, the place he can, for instance, hand around in Napa Valley on his off day Thursday however is suiting up for the vagabond Athletics.

This season, the A’s moved into Sutter Well being Park, a minor-league stadium shared with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats (the Giants’ affiliate). With bridges burned in Oakland, they’re speculated to play right here by way of 2027 whereas their still-theoretical Las Vegas ballpark is constructed.

As a part of the transfer, the Athletics are simply the Athletics — no metropolis title hooked up. In scoreboard shorthand, the Athletics are ATH. For a franchise that has been based mostly in Philadelphia, Kansas Metropolis and Oakland over the previous century-plus, being kind of homeless, between cities, is nearly a pure subsequent step.

“I mean, the situation that we have is not the best,” Severino stated. “But this is what we have right now. So we have to adjust to what we have and try to do the best job we can.”

Mentioned Gio Urshela, Severino’s former Yankees and present A’s teammate: “It’s baseball. We’re playing in a minor-league stadium, but we’re here, but we gotta stay focused, play the game.”

The worst half, they stated in separate interviews, is the Athletics’ clubhouse is in leftfield. That may be a lengthy stroll from the house dugout on the first-base aspect.

The guests’ clubhouse is in the identical constructing, extra left-centerfield. One downside, per Mendoza, will not be having a internet/batting cage close to the dugout for the designated hitter and bench gamers to remain prepared.

“It’s what we have,” Severino stated.

Severino has a 4.74 ERA by way of three begins, with ugly outings in opposition to the Cubs and Padres. He’ll face the Mets on Sunday.

Fast query: What number of good hitters do the Mets have?

Severino laughed. Final season, he made headlines when he revealed that in a gaggle chat with former Yankees teammates, he chirped that the Yankees “only have two good hitters.”

So, these Mets?

“They got a couple,” Severino stated, nonetheless laughing. “They got a couple good hitters. I’m not going to say names, but they got a couple great hitters out there . . . Last year, it was a great lineup. Having [Juan] Soto in that lineup is crazy.”

Further bases

Jeff McNeil (proper indirect pressure) began a rehab project with Low-A St. Lucie on Friday. He additionally will play Sunday and Tuesday, Mendoza stated, earlier than the Mets determine what’s subsequent . . . Francisco Alvarez (hand surgical procedure) is also with St. Lucie however will be part of Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday . . . Luis Torrens (proper forearm bruise) was within the lineup for the primary time in per week.

Tim Healey is the Mets beat author for Newsday. Born on Lengthy Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has beforehand labored for the South Florida Solar Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He’s additionally the creator of “Hometown Hardball,” a e-book about minor league baseball within the northeast.