Seth Lugo Linked to Diamondbacks
As has been reported on this site and numerous others, the Arizona Diamondbacks are in the market for a starting pitcher. They badly need another reliable arm that can step into the No.3 or No.4 role in the rotation behind co-aces Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. While they've been connected via MLB insiders to multiple names, another such occurrence happened tonight at the Winter Meetings. The Winter Meetings are being held in Nashville where GM Mike Hazen and company are meeting with reporters, agents, other teams, and multiple other persons of interest. The name that has been reported Monday evening from MLB Insider Jon Heyman is Seth Lugo.
Heyman reports that the "Diamondbacks have shown interest in Lugo" indicating that he is one of the players that the D-backs are pursuing to fill their starting pitching vacancy. Our own Jack Sommers reported today from Hazen that the Diamondbacks are "involved in the entirety of the free agents in the starting pitching [area]". Thus, perhaps it isn't too big a surprise that the D-backs are now being rumored to have shown interest in Lugo. He is a No. 3 or 4 option in the rotation that should get around $13-17 MM per year which is inside the D-backs rumored $20-25 MM budget left.
Lugo had a strong finishing 2023 season with the Padres, with 26 starts and pitching to a 3.57 ERA. His FIP was a good 3.83 and his xFIP was close to it at 3.76. His ERA+ (100 league average) was an above-average 115, indicating he was roughly 15% better than the average starting pitcher. He threw 146.1 innings and struck out 140 batters with only 36 walks. He went 8-7 in his first full-time starting season since 2017. He'll be entering his age-34 season and should still be well within his prime considering he has thrown just 641 MLB innings since 2016. Most of that time was spent as a reliever with the New York Mets.
Lugo was worth 1.8 WAR last season. He earned $7.5 MM and will likely come close to or will double that amount in the coming season/s. This isn't to say that Lugo doesn't come without risk. His 146.1 innings this season was by far the most in his career. His second highest came back in 2018 when he threw 101.1 innings. There's the potential for fatigue or injury, though that is true for any starting pitcher. Plus, Lugo is entering his mid-thirties. While the arm should be fresh, father time catches everyone.
Still, Seth Lugo would satisfy the need for the Arizona Diamondbacks starting rotation. He's one of the mid-rotation quality arms left in MLB free agency. The D-backs and GM Mike Hazen know that they have to sign one of them or get a starting pitcher somehow. Only time will tell if Lugo will wind up as a member of the National League reigning Champions for the 2024 season. This site also reported back in November that Seth Lugo was one of eight quality starting pitchers that the D-backs could target this winter. Find out the rest below.
