WEST SACRAMENTO -- Carlos Mendoza knows Luis Severino pretty well by now.
After their years together in the Yankees organization, the two paired up on the other side of the Big Apple in late 2023 when Mendoza was hired to manage the Mets and Severino signed a one-year deal with the team. Severino helped New York reach the 2024 NLCS before departing in free agency for the Athletics -- and he¡¯ll face his former club on Sunday at Sutter Health Park.
"On Sunday, he¡¯s going to be geared up, and we¡¯ll be ready for him,¡± Mendoza said before Friday¡¯s series opener in West Sacramento.
Severino certainly might have some additional motivation to deliver against the Mets. The right-hander said Friday he was willing to re-sign with the team in free agency -- and even willing to take a pay cut to do it.
So why is Severino donning A¡¯s green and gold in 2025, rather than Mets pinstripes?
"I was not in their plans,¡± the right-hander admitted.
Severino, who made 31 starts with a 3.91 ERA for the Mets in 2024, said he was willing to accept a two-year, $40 million deal to stay. The Mets didn¡¯t feel the same, though. Instead, they told the pitcher¡¯s agent they¡¯d offer him a contract equal to the one right-hander Frankie Montas received from New York: two years and $34 million.
"At the beginning, I was shocked,¡± Severino said.
The A¡¯s had no such financial concerns. They handed Severino a two-year deal with a player option for 2027 worth up to $67 million -- the largest guaranteed contract in franchise history. In his first three starts with the team, the 31-year-old has a 4.74 ERA across 19 innings.
With Montas and lefty Sean Manaea both set for lengthy stints on the injured list to start the season, Severino could have provided depth for the Mets¡¯ rotation. New York¡¯s starters have been stellar so far, though, with their 2.43 ERA entering Friday night¡¯s contest leading the Major Leagues.
Factor in a standout bullpen (1.70 ERA, second in MLB), the free-agent addition of Juan Soto and the re-signing of Pete Alonso, and New York is set up to be a contender again in 2025. Severino saw that promise, too. When free agency began, he thought he¡¯d performed well enough on (and off) the field to earn himself a chance to re-sign with the club.
As it turned out, that wasn¡¯t the case -- not at Severino¡¯s desired price point, anyway.
"At the end, we had different wants,¡± he said.
Ultimately, Severino will be facing the Mets on Sunday rather than taking the mound for them. And as Mendoza predicted, he plans to bring his ¡°A¡± game.
"I think it¡¯s going to be fun seeing those guys that I played with last year out here and bring my best,¡± Severino said.
Theo DeRosa
@Theo_DeRosa