"I'll forever be grateful" - Luis Severino's emotional farewell to the Mets after an incredible season
Luis Severino's time with the New York Mets has come to a close. After the season, he became a free agent, and he did not last long before signing a big-time deal.
Per MLB insider Jeff Passan, he and the Athletics agreed to a three-year, $67 million contract. This is the largest guaranteed contract the A's have ever given another player.
This is a great opportunity for Severino to be a frontline starter for a rotation of young pitchers. However, before thinking about the opportunity, Severino took the time to thank the organization on social media.
"Thank you New York Mets fans for all the support all year long. Thank you Mets staff and front office for everything. I will forver be grateful for an incredible season" said Severino.
Severino had a bounce-back season after a rough 2023 outing with the New York Yankees. This past season, he started 31 games, compiling an 11-7 record with a 3.91 ERA across 182 innings of work.
He looked like a completely different pitcher this past season. He finished the 2024 season with a WAR of 1.6, which is a huge turnaround from the -1.5 WAR he finished with in 2023.
Looking back at the Athletics' largest contracts following former Mets starter Luis Severino's deal
The former Mets starter will become a frontline starter for the athletics this upcoming season. Luis Severino will be somebody the club looks at to lead the pack, especially for the money they just gave him.
Severino slightly beats out Eric Chavez as having the largest contract in A's franchise history. He was the club's first-round pick in 1996 and signed a six-year, $66 million deal in 2004.
Yoenis Cespedes holds the third-highest contract the club has ever given out after he signed in 2012. The two sides agreed to a four-year, $36 million deal where he was eventually traded to the Boston Red Sox.
As you can see, this is not a club that frequently spends big-time money to bring in players. They have historically been a small-market team that has tried to do things differently than other clubs.
This could be the start of something new as the team has its sights set on a new direction moving forward. They could be looking to shy away from their old ways as they say goodbye to Oakland and start preparing to play in Las Vegas.